


Hopeless Eternal

by LadyKimmey



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, M/M, Mild Language, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2018-09-20 20:06:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 42,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9510968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKimmey/pseuds/LadyKimmey
Summary: A case forces the team to send two of their own undercover to locate an unsub. In order to find the one responsible Hotch and Reid must pretend to meet and fall in love. The problem is one of them isn't pretending and the unsub has found them first.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A fic I have posted on Fanfiction already, so I'm bringing it over here as well. Here is two chapters that I have done.  
> This is a Hotch/Reid, boy x boy love.
> 
>  
> 
> Warnings: Smut, Anal, Oral, Language
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own it.

.  
.  
.

Chapter One

 

The crisp, refreshing scent of apples tickled Spender Reid’s nostrils for the seventh time since he had taken a seat. Not that he didn’t like the aroma, it was actually a lot more tolerable than the heavy cologne that the male opposite of them had bathed in. He much preferred the softness that came from the hardened man sitting to his right. Smells, that was what his delusions had reduced him to these days. He knew that it wasn’t his brain that was constantly aware of his boss but another organ that refused to listen to the part of him that knew what was best. 

 

The jet was already in the air, heading towards the lovely city of Miami, Florida. The hot, sweltering, over-crowded, flamboyant populace of Miami was their destination after leaving from their latest case in Wyoming. Before he had time to finish in the bathroom, Cruz had been ordering a change in plans. A call had come in and then without any warning, they had another case. 

 

“Is this all we have?” Spencer tapped on the screen to open up the file that had just been sent to them all via Garcia. This was what she had been working on for the last week? The normally cheerful eyes were dull from being overworked and tired, he wasn’t the only one that was exhausted. 

 

“For now and this is because I’ve had her compiling what information she could. We weren’t officially invited in until twenty minutes ago.” Matt Cruz was glad he had tagged along on the last case in the hopes that his team would get the invitation to help the local authorities with the case. Officially they had been ‘invited’ but only now because they had proof that it was most likely the work of a serial. The senator was an old friend and lover whose son had gone missing but he hadn’t been able to force their intervention. As of an hour ago, three more victims had been found with the same signature. “Last week they only had the first two victims.”

 

“Am I reading this right?” JJ crinkled her brow at the text inside the coroner’s report. The findings were very detailed and how could they wait until five victims before asking for help? “I’m not going to look at the pictures, I can’t.”

 

“It really can’t be that bad,” David smirked and clicked on the link to bring up the photographs of the recent dump site. Three male vics were on display, each bare of any clothing with a fist-sized hole in their chest cavity. Nothing too horrible about that, but what was that inside the vic’s mouth? “Did the victim have something placed inside his mouth?”

 

“You should really read before you look,” JJ almost laughed when the older man hastily flipped back to glance at the report to answer his own question. The pallor faded from the Italian, “Yep, that is why I’m not looking.”

 

“Alright,” Aaron didn’t want to seem as if he was taking his time before looking at the photos but just reading the reports was making his stomach ache. They had seen many things since being in the BAU but this was more disturbing than most. “The local authorities called us in when they realized it was a serial. Each male was found deceased, their hearts removed by the use of a dull object, and each had another male’s genitals placed inside the mouth shortly after death.”

 

“The first two had each other’s genitals placed but the report shows that we have a potential sixth victim out there.” Spencer flipped hastily through the photos and leaned over slightly to show his neighbor what was there for anyone that was familiar with the male genitals to see. “Look, do you see the difference in number three?”

 

“Garcia, did we receive any of the lab results yet?” Aaron shifted in the chair eyeing the enlarged picture of the phallus. All five of the victims were Caucasian, early twenties, blonde or brunette, and each with light complexions. The phallus found in Jason Holmes mouth couldn’t belong to any of the other victims. 

 

“I’d say African American or Indian descent,” Spencer heard the blonde female’s grunt of amusement. He was basing his assumption on the coloration near the circumcision. The base was torn, jagged from being removed and each had some amount of decay. The head had been the part lodged down the throat and less exposed to the outside elements. It clearly belonged to someone other than the five victims. 

 

“The Senator will be wanting something as soon as we land, what can we give her?” Matt wanted to give the woman something, anything to reassure her that the one responsible would be found. 

 

“The unsub is a male, in good physical health, and he’s unraveling.” Aaron spoke softly, his mind absorbing the file on Jason Holmes. The male had soft features, a noticeable pretty-boy as Morgan would call them. “The first victim, Terrance Wilkson was beaten and from the marks they weren’t done by any definite tool.”

 

“The bruising looks like one would get from a fist, so he fought back. That would explain why the rest were drugged,” Spencer squirmed in his chair as another thought came to him. Would the others agree? “I think he’s homo-sexual.”

 

“Reasons?” Matt asked, seeing nothing that would suggest the unsub’s sexuality. 

 

Because he knew how most straight men felt, especially if they were homophobic. Spencer swallowed nervously, even though he knew that answer wouldn’t in anyway indicate the confusion he’d been dealing with recently. “The cuts are all unprofessional, whoever did remove them isn’t skilled. That indicates no medical training of any kind and how many straight men wouldn’t get squeamish about touching another male’s penis? The unsub not only handles them but it takes some amount of patience to forcibly push a lopped off soft penis into a dead man’s throat.”

 

“He’s right, if this was a hate crime against homosexuals it’d be easier just to place it inside the mouth, but this unsub takes the time to get it down the throat. He’s meticulous, he wants to make it appear that the victim is trying to eh deepthroat.” JJ flipped to the next file. “Even though they were removed they aren’t damaged in any other way so he took great care with them.” 

 

“What about victomology?” Aaron paused feeling the slight touch against his knee and frowned at how fast the leg jerked away in response. It wasn’t the first or the second time, it was starting to happen daily. The first few times he had brushed it aside assuming that the genius was in a mood. That was until a month ago, JJ had drawn them all into a conversation about Henry wanting to attend camp during summer break. Trying to relax he had leaned back for the flight and his knee had come in contact with Reid’s. To make sure he wasn’t imagining the hasty retreat, he repeated the action. Whenever he got too close or accidently came in contact the younger profiler would move away. 

 

Spencer inhaled deeply, wishing this wasn’t his given seat. Every time they all took a seat, he’d always be left to take the one next to Hotch. The team had no idea what he was dealing with and he wouldn’t be rude by asking JJ to swap seats with him. Part of him enjoyed sitting next to the brunette, “A bank clerk, a college student, a stripper, a store clerk, and unemployed but rich. They didn’t run in the same circles and only one of them attended church.”

 

“At some point all of them came in contact with the unsub,” JJ added. “At least we know he has a type: young, slender, and pretty.” 

 

“When we land, JJ, you and Reid will go speak to the families, and see what you can find out.” Matt wanted to be the one to speak to the Senator. “Hotch, you and Rossi head to the dump site. I’m going to speak to the Senator, and assure her that I’m personally overseeing the case.”

 

“What about me, sir?” Penelope had remained silent, not wanting to think about what each victim had been put through. It was horrible and she would need therapy if they forced her to actually look at the photos. 

 

“See what you can find out,” Aaron purposely widened his knees to come in contact with the slender part just above the doctor’s own. “Search financial records, recent purchases, and any information to possibly tell us if any of them were dating or has recently ended a relationship. Since the crimes are of a sexual nature, this could be about jealousy or the unsub could have been rejected. Until we land everyone go over the files.”

 

Was he doing that on purpose? Spencer looked at the position the grey-clad legs were in. It probably wasn’t noticeable by anyone else since Hotch was sitting slanted in the seat but he could feel the heat. The files were in his lap, he’d already read over them six times, and his brain refused to focus on what he had read. How long before the others began to notice? When would they realize that he was becoming distracted and that the root of his problem was their boss? 

 

Perhaps his mother was right, he was lonely. During their last visit she had suggested that he finally find someone nice to settle down with, that nothing else could make her happier. The conversation had begun after her mentioning another patient having had a nice visit from her family. The hints of grandchildren were brushed aside with a smile. He wasn’t sure how to tell his mother that he was questioning his sexuality. How could he inform anyone that he was having improper sexual urges towards their boss? Over a decade ago he had experimented with another student briefly to realize that he was bi-sexual. 

 

Spencer remembered telling Blake that it didn’t matter what Maeve looked like, it was about who she was. He had come to love who she was, not her physical appearance. That was the kind of love he had looked for, what he was still looking for. What he was feeling had nothing to do with finding a compatible soul or someone he could have long, meaningful conversations with. The attraction was completely physical and he had no idea when it had begun. It didn’t just strike him one day that he found Hotch to be attractive, anyone with eyes could see that. Just the smaller things had begun to add up for the last two years. The slightest touches, the few times they had hugged, and the emotional closeness that came from years of working together. His attraction had nothing to do with noticing that Hotch looked amazing in denim jeans. It wasn’t because some lucky lady had caused the lead profiler to sport an erection during JJ’s barbeque last month. The swimming trunks had outlined the hardness and he hadn’t been the only one to notice. 

 

A few of Will’s female co-workers had been watching their Unit Chief with undisguised appreciation, and even Garcia had remarked that he was ‘looking good’. Spencer had used the ruse of trying to wipe the wet hair from his eyes to cover up the fact that he too was staring. What he wanted to know was which one had been the one to cause the man’s predicament. All of them had been in the pool horsing around and trying to dunk the other. How long before JJ was able to convince Hotch to give one of the obviously invited blind dates a chance? 

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” JJ reached out to place a hand on the narrow elbow to slow their walk. A deputy had driven them to the home of the third victim and she had been waiting to say something since the plane. The others had appointed her the ‘Find Out What Was Bothering Reid’ person the other morning before they had left for their initial case. This was the first time since then that they had been alone so she wanted to ask before they got surrounded by strangers again. 

 

“About what?” He knew that tone, that motherly tone that made him want to bare his soul because he knew that she would be there for him. It was hard to not blurt out what was bothering him. A part of him wanted to yell, to insist that she not constantly try to set up their Unit Chief. He had no right being jealous or to judge every woman that JJ brought to Hotch’s attention. They all wanted him to be happy and to find someone, except him. He hadn’t really cared for his latest fling, a blonde that had been found at a club. That had only lasted a few dates and Spencer had been relieved when Hotch casually told the team that they were no longer dating. 

 

“The lack of sleep, the moodiness,” JJ stopped their advance completely, needing to say this in complete privacy. “I thought I was over-imagining your issues with Hotch until the other day. Do you wanna tell me when you took up the habit of eye rolling?”

 

“I don’t roll my eyes,” Rarely did he express annoyance by doing so. Spencer wanted to ask what exactly had she caught onto and was she the only one? “And I don’t an issue with Hotch.”

 

“You rolled your eyes at me four days ago when I informed Hotch that Karen wanted to know if he was single. You did it before you slapped the book you were reading closed and excused yourself.” JJ hadn’t imagined it and Rossi had asked what was his problem. “If you need someone to talk to, you know I’m always here for you, Spence.” 

 

“I know, and I don’t have a problem with you or Hotch.” What could he tell her that wouldn’t alert her to why it pissed him off when she made suggestions for another man? “I guess I’m getting agitated, especially with all the talk of dating.”

 

“Why? Is it because I’ve been asking Hotch? Spence, they asked about you as well but I assumed that you were already interested in someone so I told them that you were off the market.”

 

“Why would you assume that I’m already interested in someone?” Spencer saw the woman peeking from behind the curtain, possibly wondering why they were standing in the yard talking. Not very professional but they could be discussing the case, and that was the reason the officer was standing next to the parked vehicle. 

 

“The spacing out, the long sighs, and you completely blew off April at the barbeque when she spent half the day trying to flirt.” She just didn’t know who it was, yet. “Are you dating?”

 

“To save us some time because we need to focus on this case, I’m still single.” Spencer shoved both hands into his pocket to maintain some control of his actions. He wanted to rant about how unfair life was. Of all the people he had to start having feelings for. It would be different if it had happened suddenly, then he would have known it was happening. Instead it had slowly began long before he realized what it was. Every little moment had him creeping down that plunge and before he knew it, he was at the bottom and unable to prevent anything. “I have feelings for someone that will never return them.”

 

“Oh, are you sure?” JJ didn’t want to pry, seeing how admitting that much was causing the expression to fall. Now wasn’t the time to dig into the reasons. “Alright, we can talk about this later if you want.”

 

“Thanks but I’ll be fine,” he had to be. “Let’s go.”

 

By the time they reached the door it was already opening. Robert James’ mother didn’t appear happy to see them but she wasn’t immediately slamming the door. The woman looked annoyed as she spoke, “FBI I take it, they said you’d be coming. May as well come inside.”

 

“Thank you, Mrs. James.” JJ politely gave their names to the woman’s back. “We just have a few questions that we’d like to ask if it is alright.”

 

“I’ve told the police all I know and they didn’t seem to give a shit about what I had to say so why are you any different?” Lisa James was a heavy set female, the once blonde hair streaked with gray and bound in curlers. 

 

“Because we want to find who did this to your son. I’m a mother myself and I can only imagine how you must feel right now. Please, what can you tell us about your son?” JJ stopped short of the fire mantle that was overcrowded with family photos. In each Robert James was smiling, seemingly content with home life. 

 

“He was such a sweet boy, always thought of others.” Mrs. James continued without being asked. “I warned him but he wouldn’t listen. My boy wanted to believe that there was good in everyone. I told him that it didn’t matter to me because I’m his mother.” 

 

“What didn’t matter, Mrs. James?” Spencer had a feeling that they knew what she was going to say but the woman needed to say it. 

 

“That he once liked a young boy he went to school with. I didn’t care, you love who you love.” 

 

“Are you saying that your son was homosexual?” JJ wanted it confirmed. 

 

“Yes, and he wanted to come out.” Mrs. James was appeased when neither agent looked disgusted at the announcement. The two police officers that had shown to inform her of her son’s death and to ask questions hadn’t been friendly. Both had sneered at the information that her boy had decided that he liked the same sex. Because of that she had refused to tell them anything. 

 

“And did your son come out?” JJ wanted to ask about a possible boyfriend or a lover. 

 

“Yes and no,” she paused. “He told me that it’d be alright and I wanted to support him.”

 

“Do you know if he had a boyfriend?” Spencer didn’t see any pictures of another male. If Robert had been open then he wouldn’t have kept a lover hidden. 

 

“Not yet.”

 

“Do you know if he was talking to someone before he went missing?” JJ asked. “Did he meet anyone?”

 

“Actually, he did.” Mrs. James walked over to the nearby coffee and pulled open the hidden drawer. “I kept this, I’m not sure why. Robert came to me because he was trying to find someone special. He gave me this brochure to look at, we went over it. It looked harmless at the time so I gave him the money to go.”

 

Spencer took the brochure and quickly read over the brief description. A cruise ship that catered to those with homosexual preferences, “Did your son attend one of these functions?”

 

“Yes, it seemed ideal at the time. He wanted to try to meet someone and I wanted him to be happy. He got passage for their thirty-two day trip to Australia. It’s on their site.”

 

JJ nodded, mentally calculating how much it would have cost. Not many could afford a seven day cruise without feeling guilty, but a month vacation that was used as a dating service. “So he went on one of their tours. Did he tell you about it?” 

 

“We spoke almost every day he was out on the computer. He’d check in so I’d know that he was alright, he couldn’t swim you know. He told me he met the most amazing man on the ship. No, he didn’t give me a name.”

 

“Mrs. James, it is important and any information about this man he met would greatly assist us.” Spencer tried to stress the importance of any information without telling her that this amazing man could possibly be their unsub.

 

“No, he wouldn’t tell me anything about him. He said he wanted me to get to know him once they got back.” The older woman took a seat down on the couch. “Wait, there is something. One evening he had me set up that video chat so we could see each other. We spoke like that several times but one time I saw someone. As we were about to end the call, there was an arm.”

 

“An arm?” An arm on a ship full of men, that wasn’t much to go on. JJ tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before squatting in front of the mother. “Is there anything else you can recall, anything at all?”

 

“Yes, he was black, I think.” Mrs. James quickly frowned and hurried to explain. “I mean African American, I believe is the correct term. I think that is why he was hesitant to tell me much about him. Robert’s father was very hateful at times, to certain types of people.”

 

“A racist?” Spencer spoke boldly, asking straight out if the father would have had a problem with their son’s choices. 

 

“Yes, we were only married for ten years, and I tried not to let him influence our son, and he didn’t. But I think he was still worried about how I’d take it. I wouldn’t have cared, as long as my son was happy.”

 

“I believe you,” JJ placed a comforting hand on her knee. “What else can you tell us? You said you saw the arm, what made you think of it now? What was it doing?”

 

“It touched him, on the shoulder. The man walked behind Robert and I’m sure it caressed the back of his shoulders but I didn’t see a face.”

 

“Thank you, Mrs. James. You’ve been a great help.”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

“What do we have so far?” Aaron scooted closer to the table and reached for the cup of coffee that had been handed out by Garcia. The trip out to the dump site had been hectic and they hadn’t found out anything new to help them get closer to discovering who their unsub might be. The only one missing was Cruz, who was still tending to the senator. He wasn’t going to ask, it wasn’t his business. The team had been set up inside one the senator’s rental properties for the duration of the case. A four bedroom, three bath home that was cheaper than putting them up in a hotel. Aaron preferred it, it gave more privacy than being inside a bustling hotel that was full of tourists. 

 

“We can conclude that all five victims were homosexual, only three were out.” Dave ran a hand over his face, feeling exhausted from lack of sleep and jumping right into another case. 

 

“They were all from different cities in the lower Florida area and didn’t travel in the same circles. The only common link was that they were all gay and looking for love.” Penelope tapped her computer screen sending each the forms she had found. “Now my loves, I may have found something, you can praise me later. If you’ll look on your tablets.”

 

Aaron clicked on the copy of the last victim’s back account, what was he looking for? The sun had all but drained him and they weren’t close to delivering the profile. “What are we looking for, Garcia?”

 

“Well, when JJ called and told me about Robert James going on a cruise before he disappeared I took the liberty of investigating this company. They are completely legal, they are actually really good, but way expensive. They offer several different packages that leave from different ports, and all different destinations. Now, depending on the package you purchase, you may lose a year’s salary. Point, right, Mrs. James admitted to paying for her son’s cruise. You can see the cleared check made out to the company on her statement. What I found was that two of our other victims did not make an actual purchase to the company but they did take out a large amount of cash that coincides around the time they went missing. Like weeks prior to their disappearing and my amazing self did a search and what do you know, the website has departure dates that match. So it is very likely that they also bought ticket and went on a cruise.”

 

“There is no paper trail?” Aaron didn’t like it. The company had to report their profits so how could they do so without having actual documentation of tickets being sold. This wasn’t an amusement park fair that costs thirty bucks for entry. 

 

“I know what you’re thinking, how do they get away with such large cash amounts and not reporting it. The thing is they do, Sir.” Penelope brought up the link on her laptop for them to see. “The website offers anonymity when purchasing a package. To make it legal all they need is a receipt showing that it was paid for and a name. All their records are legit and most of their clients pay cash.”

 

“We need that list, Garcia. There is a chance they all purchased tickets at some point.” Aaron blinked at the amount Mrs. James had paid for the little trip. 

 

“I spoke with Cruz earlier and he already spoke with the owner. Sir, it didn’t turn out well. I went over their log in information on the dates the victims may have purchased the tickets. There were no records of them, but I was told that sometimes their clients use fake names. Robert James was the only one that went on a trip that required a passport”

 

“And we can’t do anything because they don’t check to make sure their clients give their correct names.” Rossi leaned back in the chair. They wouldn’t even be able to get them for the false information. It would be just as easy to press charges against an airline that sold tickets to people with false identifications. It was too common and employees weren’t trained to spot them. “What about employees or other passengers that were on board at the same time?”

 

“Employees, there is a list of ninety-two, sixty-six are male. Sadly, none of the passengers have shown up twice during those specified times. What I can tell you is that The Blooming Star has been in port for the last two weeks and according to their website the next cruise is scheduled to depart this week.” Penelope waited to add the last bit of news, “the next cruise is one to Australia, much like the one Robert James went on, and is a forty-five day vacation.”

 

“Shit,” Aaron ran a hand through his hair. What could they do? “We don’t have enough for a profile, not yet.”

 

“We also don’t have enough evidence to tie the company to any of the victims. We have no proof that this is where they went missing from. A cruise ship that large, they can simply claim that the victims did not remain onboard once they docked. They can’t be held liable for what happens to their passengers once they leave the ship.” Dave could see the frustration growing, the emotion growing thick as the obvious set in. “At most we can prove that one of our victims was on that ship but we can’t prove that the unsub is tied to it.”

 

“Yes, but we know that at least two of our victims were still hiding so if they did buy a ticket, they would have hid their identity. We know that Robert James began seeing someone that was black while on the ship and it so happens that we have a penis that belongs to an unknown victim that is also black.” JJ had learned to trust her hunches years ago and they all knew that there was a connection. “We can’t offer a profile yet and there is a chance that our unsub is an employee or a regular passenger. Can we stall their departure?”

 

“I’ll call Cruz but I doubt it, we don’t have enough evidence.” Aaron wanted to get some rest. He had to figure out how to prevent another victim. “If Cruz can’t stall the cruise then we have to think of something. There is a chance our unsub will be on it.”

 

“Why don’t we send someone?” JJ suggested, it wouldn’t be the first time one of them had gone undercover to catch an unsub. “If the unsub is going to be on that ship we need someone there. If we can get eyes onboard we might be able to figure out how he is selecting his victims and also eliminate some of the crew.”

 

“Great idea but I’ll sit this one out, if you don’t mind.” Dave loved being a profiler but he didn’t think he’d be able to go undercover as a passenger for a cruise that catered to gay males. 

 

“I’ll go,” Spencer offered to be the one to go undercover. It made the most sense, “If we have to send someone, I’ll go. It would have to be a male and I don’t have any responsibilities here.” 

 

“Will that work?” Penelope didn’t like it. One of theirs would be out there alone with a possible killer with no backup. “You can’t go, what if you get into trouble? How are you going to pass for someone looking to hookup? Don’t you think they’ll notice something is wrong?”

 

“I’ll be going with him,” Aaron came to the decision easily. If they couldn’t stop the cruise from departing then two of them could depart with it. They could inspect the crew, watch for anyone that stood out while the others handle things from here. “If the unsub is one of the crew then he will soon have plenty of victims to choose from.”

 

“We get that, Hotch, but how do you and Reid propose to get on the ship?” Penelope quickly brought up the website to point out the one flaw in their plan. “This is the link to reserve tickets, the ones that are left. There is a reason all of the cheaper packages are taken. There are a few suites left to book and to get both of you on, we’d have to purchase two. They are over one hundred grand a piece. Do keep in mind that covers fare, food, drinks, a card for all the fine shops, the five day trip to see the many beautiful sites of Australia, and complete access to all of their accommodations.”

 

“I think we should be more concerned about them being able to blend in once on the ship. They got to pretend to be looking for a date. How are you going to mingle when you’re supposed to be gay? Don’t you think they’ll notice that some of their passengers are straight?” Dave had to point out what being on the ship meant. “You’ll have other men hitting on you. Are you going to be able to pretend that you’re okay with it and pass off being interest so you can have a valid reason to be roaming the ship?” 

 

“Why not meet each other on the cruise?” JJ knew that they wouldn’t be able to talk Hotch out of it once he had decided to go. They needed at least two on there just in case the unsub was on board. If they could start eliminating some names it would help. “If you are both set on going, you’ll be going as single men looking to meet someone. Give it a couple days and pretend to mingle, then meet each other. The entire purpose is to meet someone else so that will be your cover. You two will meet and spend the remainder of the trip together. That way no will suspect the time you will be together while you work the case.”

 

“Sounds good, that will give us a cover.” Aaron pushed the chilled cup away. He would have to check on getting the funds to cover the trip from the agency. 

 

“You aren’t seriously considering going through with this,” Dave semi-shouted at their Unit Chief. “Reid might be able to get by being a shy pretty boy but not you, Hotch. How are you going to make it a month pretending to be gay? You can’t do it.”

 

Spencer agreed completely, but was thankful that it was Rossi to point it out. He would go but he didn’t think he could pretend to start dating Hotch. He’d rather flirt and spend time with strangers. 

 

“I’ll be fine.” Aaron waved off the concern. They would only have to pretend to be courting while not in their rooms. They were already close so pretending to be getting to know each other was plausible. 

 

“Really?” Dave didn’t believe it, he’d prove that this was a horrible idea. “Hotch, since we know that the agency will most likely stall on giving you the money to pay for the trip, I’ll front you the money up front to pay for it, but only if you can prove me wrong.”

 

“And how am I to do that?” Aaron wasn’t sure if he’d get the approval in time to get on the cruise. There was a great chance that it wouldn’t be approved at all because there wasn’t enough proof but they were short on time. 

 

Dave shrugged but his gaze swept from his boss to land on the quiet doctor. “Kiss Reid.” 

.  
.  
.


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: Next Chapter is done, sorry. I haven't felt like working on much. On the last few weeks of school so it is hectic. Please enjoy. Any mistakes I apologize for. 

 

.  
.  
.

 

Chapter Two

 

“Kiss Reid,” it was very simple. Dave cupped both hands together and gave their boss a knowing smile. They would have to think of another way of getting aboard that ship. Going in half-cocked would get someone killed and there was no way Hotch could pull off belonging on a gay tour. Reid had the looks going for him, slender and feminine, but their boss was all testosterone. They would have to pull off being into one another to continue the charade. “And I don’t mean like you’d kiss your mother.”

 

That was a horrible idea! Spencer snapped his jaw, it having relocated itself to the floor. That wouldn’t prove anything, there was more to being together than being able to share a decent kiss. Why was Hotch backing away from the table? All eyes went to their boss, who was starting to stand. There had to be something he could say to prevent this. It was horrifying that no words came to him to stop the awkward moment coming his way. He should have been more appalled that the others seemed to only find fault with the aspect of Hotch being gay. No one was questioning whether or not he’d be able to pull it off. Was it because they assumed that he might be bi or was it because of how he looked? Not that it mattered, what did was that Hotch wasn’t one to back down. It hadn’t been stated as a dare, but a stipulation, and Hotch would try to kiss him just to do the job. It would only serve to prove that Rossi was right and his own suspicions. Hotch wasn’t attracted to him and it would show in the kiss. “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

 

“Hotch,” Spencer gawked, partly in fear, but the rest was purely a sense of anxiousness. When he couldn’t bring himself to move away from the table, it was JJ that didn’t help by helping Hotch rotate his chair around and away from any cover. If he would have been allowed to stand, he may have given into the desire to back away. Large hands landed on armrests to keep him from fleeing and he did something really stupid; he looked up. It was to take in Hotch’s expression, to gauge what the man must be thinking. The handsome face showed no emotion and the eyes were lingering on his mouth. 

 

Kiss Reid, he could do that. Aaron’s mouth twitched, wanting to smirk seeing the fear plastered over the soft features. The genius was scared but not terrified, it was a different type of fear keeping the other agent planted in the chair. It almost made him falter in his decision to go through with it. Then he caught the telling sign that his actions weren’t entirely unwanted. The edge of a pink tongue darted out to trace the plush bottom lip he found very fascinating at the moment. There wasn’t another word of protest and the slow descent left plenty of time for one. 

 

This couldn’t be happening to him. For a genius, he was being an imbecile by not moving his head to avoid the kiss. Spencer waited, the seconds agonizingly slow as he waited patiently for the dark head to finish the trip closer. Close enough he could feel Hotch’s hot breath, and smell the coffee. Those few seconds were for his benefit, he was being given a chance to say no, but he didn’t want to. It would be weird and forced, but this was his one chance to feel the man’s mouth on his own. 

 

Contact, Aaron felt the sigh more than he heard it. The gentle caress of air on his lips before they connected. Soft and smooth, a woman’s mouth, that was the only explanation he could give for the texture pressed into his own. Maybe not the correct choice because not even Haley or Beth had possessed such smooth lips. The only pressure being applied was from his doing at this point. Not to be dissuaded or proven wrong, he tried again.

 

He was in hell. Spencer closed his eyes in awe the second time the pressure was applied, more demanding than before. This time it wasn’t a gentle or timid kiss, it was one mouth testing out another. The urge to open up was strong, but how would Hotch react? He wanted to return it but was he supposed to? This was about whether or not Hotch would be able to kiss him, not so he could plant one on the boss. 

 

It was slight, Aaron noticed it the moment the lips began to part. Be it from Reid wanting to speak or another reason entirely, he took advantage of it. The surface was silk underneath his tongue and opened further as he probed. Another pass and he was granted entry. He never would have guessed that the doctor would taste sweet. The flavor was bold, like after eating candy, and the tongue that tentatively met his own was warm and wet. 

 

Was that noise from him or Hotch? Spencer would have rolled his eyes if they weren’t already closed. The only thing awkward was the position he was forced to tilt his head because of being seated. His mouth was being expertly explored and he didn’t need to be coaxed into returning the kiss. The tongue playing with his own seemed to know exactly how to send his brain into overload, among other parts of his anatomy. The cotton of his pants was becoming unbearably tight and it wasn’t ending. 

 

Hotch heard the whispered ‘Wow’ from the married woman sitting nearby. She possibly noted his reactions and that instead of pulling away, he tilted his head further to get a better angle. His fingers gripped the chair painfully in order to keep them from going with the urge to dig themselves into the mop of hair and tug. Wasn’t it enough that he was trying to climb into Reid’s face? 

 

“Wow,” JJ blinked, sure that she wasn’t the only one in the room shocked. Rossi would have been satisfied with a lover’s peck but this wasn’t a simple show of being able to kiss another. Not from where she was sitting, and she wasn’t the only one still watching. The third male had turned his head the second it became apparent that spit was about to be swapped. She and the hacker continued to be awestruck. The next fluid of motion momentarily exposed Hotch’s tongue as he angled his head further to get better access to the open mouth. Her own stomach tingled at another flash of clashing tongues before mouths eagerly met. The plastic beneath the boss’ fingers creaked from being squeezed and the chair had begun to dip back due to the good doctor being… well good. What else had the two completely forgetting that they had an audience? 

 

“You can put it on my credit card,” Dave muttered to the hacker. The sound of his voice did little to separate the two and one of two had released a whimper. It was disturbing to realize just how little he knew of their Unit Chief. Never would have thought the man capable of participating in such a heated kiss with another male. Finally, the pair pulled apart, leaving the good doctor looking dazed and confused. 

 

“Will do,” Penelope made a mental note to do just that, in a moment. That had been unexpectedly hot and she actually envied Spencer. That was a look she had never seen on his face, it must have been good. 

 

“Try to get us as close as possible.” Aaron eased up the hold on the chair to back away. If anyone spotted his problem, none were brave enough to mention it when he retook his seat. Along with his knuckles, his cock was aching in the confides of his pants, and he couldn’t bring himself to look back over at Reid. Being perceptive, everyone would have noticed his eagerness to keep indulging in the work place. “Preferably away from others to keep our actions less noticeable.”

 

“Right,” Penelope graciously accepted the plastic being held out. Within minutes she had up the grid showing which rooms were still available. Both were suites with balconies, king size beds, and the most expensive. “I can only find two suites that are close, they are next door to one another. Should I book them?”

 

“Yes, and book them under our names since getting fake passports will take time.” Hotch gave into the urge to adjust his tie, he felt smothered and hot. “Then give me the information to retrieve the tickets. I’ll have Matt speak with the Captain. Reid and I will need vacation clothes and there won’t be enough time to fly home and go shopping. Rossi, if you don’t mind.”

 

“Not at all, but you owe me.” Dave shrugged, he really didn’t mind. A few new duds for his team, no big deal. “But may I suggest you allow JJ and the kid to do the shopping?”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

The entire situation was insane, he almost felt like he was going on vacation. Spencer placed the baggy swim trunks on top of the other six pair before zipping up the suitcase. There was barely any room left inside after allowing JJ to be the one to do the shopping. Along with his attire that had been in his go-bag, he was now the owner of twenty more outfits, and three pairs of sandals. His wardrobe had come out larger than Hotch’s because he was more appealing in casual wear, or so he had been told twelve times. 

 

After six hours of shopping, Hotch and he had been driven to the appointed hotel after getting their tickets. The booking had been for one night in the hotel before boarding early the next day. After spend a night alone, he had jumped on the first shuttle to pick up the passengers, skipping breakfast. He had time before they departed but he was loath to step out of his room. One could easily remain inside and enjoy the cruise. The lodgings were spacious, clean, and comfy. A king size bed was waiting to be used, along with a gift basket. Somehow, he didn’t think that the bottle poking from the plastic was hand lotion. Nope, it confirmed what kind of cruise he had stepped on. A bottle of unscented lube, condoms, candles, and an unopened porn had been set out for his use. A dating service that promoted sex, it should be illegal. 

 

Along with his new attire, a satellite phone was in his belongings, and his own personal tracking device. A small silver band was on his pinky finger for insurance. Hotch had been given a new watch for the same purpose. Spencer’s back story was that he was a doctor on vacation and he was here to fall for the older lawyer. The plan was simple, he would get board the ship from the earliest shuttle and Hotch would take the last. So he had hours before being able to catch a glimpse of his neighbor and boss. The first day he was to mingle with others, getting a feel for the other passengers. After a few days, they would ‘meet’ and then start spending time together. It would be odd pretending that he was looking when he had eyes for someone already. 

 

After that kiss, he had no idea how hard it was going to be to pretend that he was pretending to be falling for Hotch. They couldn’t completely shun others for a while, so he would have to speak and talk to other guests. Which meant allowing other men to flirt and try to get to know him. If personal experience had taught him anything, he would be greatly ignored while every man with eyes would be vying for his boss’ attention. Would it really be realistic for someone as appealing as Hotch to dismiss others and decide on someone like himself? 

 

He could do this, they only had to pretend when not in their rooms. Or they could be one of those couples that weren’t heavily into public displays. A peck here and there, they could make it work. But Gods, he wouldn’t complain if Hotch were to try to kiss him again. He was being silly, calculating the chances of it happening again when he should be figuring out how best to complete their assignment. There was an unsub onboard looking for a new victim, he had to get his head in the game. 

 

The best way to do that would be to mingle and start searching for clues. Not many of the guests were aboard but there was nothing wrong with him walking around to meet the crew.

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

Not again! The peace he had found on the deck was coming to a crashing halt, once again. The first time Spencer had found himself cornered had been at the pool while soaking his feet. The second had been during lunch, his salad interrupted by a rude asshole with a god complex. The next three times had occurred while pretending to read poolside. The book had been in his hand to explain the reason he wasn’t mingling. That hadn’t prevented three more men from sitting on the lounge chair next door to strike up a conversation. Profiling was hard when he had someone in his ear asking him personal questions. 

 

The ship had left the dock two hours ago and he had yet to spot his future boyfriend anywhere. Spencer had hoped to catch a brief glance of his boss to put his mind at ease. It would suck if for some reason Hotch hadn’t made it aboard, leaving him to do this alone. Weeks of being hit on, he’d jump overboard before he discovered the unsub. The guests weren’t wasting any time trying to hook up with others. 

 

Finally hungry, Spencer had opted on the starboard restaurant. It presented a beautiful view of the ocean and the weather was nice. The breeze was cool and dusk was falling around the cruise ship. The tiny candle flickered inside the glass ornament with the next breeze. The scent of aftershave and peppermint reached his nose before his next opponent came into view. 

 

This male was clearly over forty, wearing dress pants, a buttoned-up shirt, and sandals. The watch was a Rolex, the only jewelry the man adorned. Salt and pepper hair was cropped to frame the handsome face. On a normal day, Spencer would classify the approaching man as handsome, in a classic way. The jaw was square, with a dimple in his chin, tanned skin, and chocolate colored eyes. There were no other vacant tables in this corner, and the only chair was at his table. “Do you mind?”

 

“Not at all.” Spencer softly gave his consent to have his space invaded. He had yet to order so he could always make a run for it. His stomach wanted him to stay and try out the fabled cuisine. 

 

“Lovely weather to have dinner outside.” The man reached for the other menu but never took his gaze from him.

 

“It is, I was thinking about trying out the grilled chicken salad with dessert.” Food was a safe topic because Spencer mentally checked off this man as being the unsub already. Their unsub’s rage came from an unsated need, be it to be accepted, punished, or simply loved, this man didn’t have that problem. Not a minute after hearing the stranger speak, Spencer profiled him as being a successful business man. The man spoke, sat, flicked his hand with confidence one couldn’t fake. He wasn’t the only one that took note of how handsome his company was. This person was out and capable of finding someone willing to love him despite his faults. Also the type of man that would be hard to say no to. 

 

“Sounds delicious, and something light is always best on the stomach during the first few days on the water.” A large hand was extended across the table, “Name is Michael.”

 

“Spencer,” he lightly took the fingers to initiate the shake. It was the polite thing to do and he couldn’t allow his quirks to expose him. The waiter saved him from having to continue the small talk. Both ordered the salad and were left alone once more. 

 

“What brings someone as adorable as you to this place?” Michael inquired, purposely stressing the adorable. 

 

“Same as most of the men here. I figured I owed myself a long vacation and a friend of mine directed me to the website.” Spencer almost broke into a wide smile spotting the dark hair stepping into view. Hotch was on board and looking around the deck. It was hard not to openly stare at the arrival but his eyes remained halfway focused on him, while Michael continued to speak. Unable to sit nearby, Hotch was forced to take a seat across the way. He wasn’t sure if the man had been able to spot him. 

 

“This is my third time on the cruise, first this year.” Michael cocked his head before dragging a bold gaze across his frontal. “That doesn’t answer why someone as pretty as you are here alone, or am I occupying someone’s seat?”

 

“No, I’m alone.” Spencer shook his head in denial. “Believe it or not, having softer features doesn’t make things easier finding compatibility. I go through the same difficulties as anyone else when it comes to finding love.”

 

“I find that hard to believe, more than half the men here are wishing they would have had the nerve to sit down with you. I can point out three right now that are hating on me for doing so.”

 

“Really? Please do,” Spencer said so because the man seemed to want to make a point. The point being that he was obviously the only man in the place that had the nerve to step up. It was supposed to earn Michael points. Being an alpha male, the man wanted to be seen as fierce and bold. “I seriously doubt any of them care that you decided to sit with me this evening.”

 

“First one, that bald one three tables over. He’s been boldly staring at your mouth since you took a sip of that water.” Michael smirked when the bald male blushed and turned away at being caught staring. “The blonde surfer near the door is practically eye fucking you as we speak. He’s constantly licking his lips and the food isn’t that good, trust me.”

 

“Right,” said water lodged in his throat at the mention of being eye fucked. Spencer couldn’t resist tilting his head to inspect the surfer who was indeed watching him intently. The ass had the nerve to boldly lick his top lip in invitation at being observed. “That is only two.”

 

“The third will most likely be my only real competition.” Michael leaned back in his chair, allowing the waiter to place the ordered food onto the table. Luckily, he had managed to find the sweet-looking addition before the other man. “In the back corner, dark hair, decent build, middle-age, and a penetrating gaze.” 

 

“Where?” Spencer looked around but saw only one male fitting that description. Hotch was currently looking at his menu and not paying them any heed. Who else did Michael think was checking him out? He would not think of the competition bit because Michael didn’t have a chance no matter how else might be vying for his attention. 

 

“That one, he just looked up from his menu.” Michael nodded at the competition, who had glanced up once more from the folded menu to watch them. It had been that man that had alerted him to the presence of little Spencer. He had gone to the bar after getting out of the pool and had tried to strike up a conversation with the dark male. Just small talk, until he had noticed the other man’s gaze constantly straying elsewhere. A bulky piece of trash had blocked his view up until that point, but then he had gotten his first look at the treasure that had been brought aboard. 

 

What? Spencer quickly glanced back at Michael, unable to meet Hotch’s eyes across the way. Sure, they would eventually make others believe that they had hooked up but why would Michael assume that Hotch was competition already? Or was it that the man was intuitive enough to realize that he and Hotch had a lot in common? “He doesn’t seem that interested at the moment.”

 

“Because you are too sweet and naïve to recognize a predator. He’s being coy but he is watching us.”

 

Of course he was, Hotch was his boss and most likely worried about how he was handling the situation. Spencer couldn’t say that, a shrug was the only way to reply to the implication that Hotch was checking him out. It was safer to eat his dinner. 

 

“May I ask what you are looking for on this vacation, Spencer?”

 

What was he looking for? Well, he was posing as a lonely doctor looking for love. He replied how he was meant to, “This trip is mostly a stress reliever for me. However, I have the hopes of finding someone special to spend it with.”

 

“Well said, may we both find what we are looking for.”

 

Spencer gave into the toast before taking a long sip of the refreshing water. What he really wanted was to go back to his room and get some sleep. Unable to resist, his gaze darted away from his company. Michael was correct, Hotch was boldly watching them and not hiding the fact. However, the gaze wasn’t on him but on Michael. “He’s watching you, not me.”

 

“That is so adorable of you to think so,” Michael released a faint laugh at the ridiculous comment. “Does that look like the gaze of someone that wants to take me back to his room?”

 

“Well,” he had to think about it. It didn’t help that he actually knew Hotch personally. If that was a stranger sitting over there, Spencer would say that Hotch looked to be plotting Michael’s demise. That wasn’t the face of someone that was admiring another. “Not really, but maybe he always looks like that. I’m still not the one he’s staring at.”

 

“Wrong, he was checking you out earlier and now he’s thinking on how to get rid of me. I’m very perceptive, I can tell.” 

 

“How perceptive?” Spencer poked at his food, still unable to catch Hotch’s gaze. What was the reason for the glaring? In a way, it would make sense for one of them to be the bold one. The only way to make it believable would be for one to pursue the other. Since he wasn’t the type, that left Hotch to be the one to pursue him. It was a role and the first step would be for Hotch to pretend to spot him and like him. 

 

“You’re very intelligent and a fast reader. You don’t spend much time outdoors because you have fair skin. I’m willing to bet if I were to get you naked, you wouldn’t have any tan lines beneath those clothes. You blush easily; you’re a virgin or very unexperienced. I don’t think you really understand how you are seen by others, especially other men like myself. You’re beautiful, yet you seemed genuinely shocked when you were being hit on earlier. All that into account, you aren’t the type to get involved easily, which makes each relationship special to you.” Michael leaned forward in the seat. “Whatever man that is lucky enough to garner your attention will be leaving this cruise a very happy man.”

 

How could he not blush at that? Spencer squirmed underneath the leisurely yet coy eye-fucking he was receiving at the moment. Being able to tell that he was inexperienced didn’t take a genius. “Now you are eye-fucking me.” 

 

“I am, I apologize.” 

 

“Accepted,” because tossing water in the handsome face would cause a scene. Spencer sighed before looking away, his gaze going back to their watcher. This time his eyes were met. Hotch had been watching him instead of his company. He almost nodded in acknowledgement but it died before the action could be completed. The fierce gaze left his face for a moment to land on Michael, then was back on himself. It made him want to slide under the table and beg not to be fired. 

 

“Told you,” Michael was glad that the other male had managed to catch the far one eyeing him. The blush stained deeper the longer Spencer was underneath the inspection. “You’re the object of his interest and I’m in the way.”

 

“In the way?” Did that mean how it sounded? Spencer had pegged the guy as bold and daring, but it made him uncomfortable being looked at like that. Michael’s eyes left no room for half-assed assumptions. 

 

“Very much so, I don’t scare easy, and I don’t walk away either.” Michael gave a smile to blind children, “We both spotted the one we want to pursue on this thing. You my dear Spencer will find that I don’t give up, and I look forward to winning your affections. May the best man win."

 

.  
.  
.

Please comment for me, I may or may not have the next chapter up within the week.


	3. Chapter Three

A/N: Long awaited, ok long in getting posted at least. I got in a Hotch/Reid mood, and decided to work on this one for a few days. If I get enough comments to know that readers would still like to see more of this fic then I will try my best to have another chapter up within a week. 

 

Chapter Three

 

.  
.  
.

 

The slight hesitation in the hallway gave away the person on the other side of the suite door. Aaron was tempted to open the door and strike up a conversation but knew it was too soon for them to ‘meet’ and hit it off. They needed to mingle for a few days before speaking for the first time. It was after lunch, Reid was most likely on his way up to the deck to spend time reading while looking over the passengers. He’d spent the better part of last evening running through a few leads and wanted to gather some information from the rest of his team before heading out for the evening. On schedule the satellite phone rang on the bed.

 

“Hello,” he already knew who was on the other end of the line. His fingers were busy opening the files placed on the mattress. “What do you have for me?”

 

“Nothing good, Sir.” Garcia’s voice was clipped and strained across the line. “I searched through the names you gave me last night and got nothing. What I do have for you is twelve men that you and Reid should look into. I’ve gone through all of the passengers and only these few are using fake passports. All the others have checked out. I made sure to go back at least ten years on everyone, getting their history, and none of them were on board the ship during the other murders.”

 

“Give me the names,” That narrowed down the list a bit as far as passengers were concerned. However, that did leave the entire crew to contend with. It was a lot to sift through in a short amount of time. The names were scribbled on the notepad, “What did you get on the passenger I asked for?”

 

“OH, I almost forgot.” The clacking of keys filled the silence then she was back. “I ran the name Michael Harris, full name is Michael Raphael Harris Junior. His passport was valid, a Florida license, financial records that go back almost thirty years. Graduated from Berkeley seventeen years ago, and has a PhD in Engineering. He is the owner and President of Harris Engineering, which is located in Miami Florida, Richmond Virginia, and Sacramento California. The good doctor is worth over three hundred and fifty-two million. No criminal record and is highly thought of, I’m talking several articles dedicated to the man’s genius and generosity.”

 

That didn’t sit well with him. Aaron didn’t care what was on paper, the man rubbed him the wrong way. Only one direct look had been shared but the man was bad news. “Family?”

 

“A mother that lives in Rhode Island and some extended family but no spouse or children. Is there a reason you had me dig into this guy? A guy that hot and rich has to be a creeper.” 

 

“Continue searching through the crew and I will contact you once I investigate the remainder of the passengers.” Hot and rich, and seems to have decided to pursue his subordinate. Aaron knew Reid could handle the situation but it would make their jobs more difficult if another were to try to seriously pursue them. They weren’t here to find romance. 

 

“Right,” a pause. “So how are things going on the love boat? Got any numbers yet?”

 

“No.” Aaron had refused the two that had tried to flirt with him at dinner yesterday. This was the third full day on board and he had gotten a serious invitation for meaningless sex. 

 

“How is Reid holding up? Please don’t leave him alone for too long. I’d hate for him to be crushed by a bunch of horny men.”

 

“Reid is fine.” Aaron closed the phone ending any further questions. Truth be told he doubted that Reid was getting much of a chance to speak to anyone else. At breakfast, lunch, and dinner the doctor had been dining with the same man. He had caught Reid in the hallway and gotten the name from him. There wasn’t just one passenger aiming to spend the night in the neighboring suite. Whenever the older man had left the table, two more had strolled over to strike up a conversation, just to be ran off when this Michael had returned. 

 

It was time to make an appearance and check on Reid. The phone was stashed into his shorts and the sandals were slipped onto his feet. He opted not to slip on flimsy t-shirt and snatched the towel from the dresser. He’d go for a swim and then relax by the poolside. 

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

“You’re tense,” the slender shoulders were tight. Michael eyed the pair of dominant males sitting across the pool watching them. Their gaze wasn’t on him but the pale, naked chest of his company. To make it clear, he coaxed the hips to scoot closer towards him on the cushioned longue chair. “Try to relax.”

 

He was but it was hard when he heard the bottle cap open. Spencer coached himself on how to react to the offer of having the lotion applied to his shoulders. It was a genuine offer and he didn’t want to burn. Seeing as Hotch wasn’t bothering to make an appearance, he had to do something, besides constantly shying away from what attention he did get. Any closer and he was sure he’d feel the man’s erection. The hands came down on his shoulders, the slick moisture seeping into his skin as it was rubbed slowly. It was more of a massage than application. It was nice, the older man had skilled hands. 

 

“There you go, just enjoy it.” Much better. Such soft skin, and on a frail frame. Dainty and slender, exactly what he liked. Michael let his gaze sweep down to the dip in the spine leading to the curve. In the baggy trunks it was hard to tell what the doctor was sitting on, but he had gotten a good view last night. The jeans had outlined a small, but firm backside. Just enough to hold onto as he sank deep inside. It wasn’t just the body that drew him, he was drawn to the innocence. 

 

Spencer almost moaned out loud. The thumbs were doing something wicked and it made him want to melt. A professional couldn’t have done it better. It felt so good, he didn’t think to protest as the palm lowered to the middle of his back. It was just a backrub while applying lotion, nothing to get offended over. Now that was going a bit far. The tip of a thumb managed to swipe just below the seams of the trunks. Should he give into the urge to turn and backhand him? 

 

The sweet swell was beneath his fingertips. He made sure to pay special attention to flesh hidden beneath the cotton, going no further than what the length of his thumbs would allow. It was enough to give him a feel for the covered ass. “I’m thinking we should have dinner in my room this evening.”

 

Oh, he bet he was. Spencer was beyond uncomfortable at this point. The fingers were definitely trying to get a feel of his butt. Being alone in a room wasn’t going to happen. How much bolder was the man going to get? “Dinner, is that what you call it?”

 

“Of course,” Michael ran his fingers along the waist, then up the ribcage. Dinner was a start, he wouldn’t presume that anything else would happen. “I may like touching you, but if I thought you were that easy to get in bed, I wouldn’t be bothering with you. I don’t expect you to jump in bed with me this soon.”

 

Not at all if he had a say in it. Spencer opened his eyes and almost leapt back. When had Hotch arrived poolside? His boss was sitting in the longue chair directly across from them and staring blatantly. He was definitely fired once they finished with the case. That was a Hotch expression that he knew well, the man was pissed. Was it because he appeared to be enjoying the case too much? It wasn’t true, but he didn’t want to blow his cover either. Breath that reeked of coffee and whiskey caressed his earlobe as Michael leaned forward. 

 

“Ah, your other admirer is back with us. Has he tried to talk to you yet?” If not, it was only a matter of time before so. Michael wasn’t worried, he never lost. Spencer had a head on his shoulder and would pick the better man, which was himself. 

 

“Uh. Oh no, of course not.” When would it be time? When would Hotch decide to approach him? Since he had made it clear that he wasn’t the type to do the approaching, it would have to be up to the other man. No one else would really notice who approached who, except the one behind him. He wasn’t that receptive to most attention and advances, which helped him play the role of someone shy and very selective. It helped to keep most away, but if he and Hotch were to ‘meet’ then the other man would have to be the one to make the introductions. Maybe letting a little bit of info slip wouldn’t hurt, “I still think you’re wrong. I’m pretty sure he has the suite next to mine.” 

 

“Does he?” That wouldn’t work. That just meant he’d have to keep Spencer away from his suite as much as he could. Dinner in his room tonight would be the first step. Even though would be no sex, there were ways to keep the doctor from leaving. “Perhaps I was wrong, but don’t worry, you shan’t want for company.”

 

That was reassuring. Would Hotch take the hint if he were to give him a pleading look? How to get away before he was pressured into spending the evening with the man? “Would you mind heading to that bar across from where we had dinner last night? They have a non-acholic pineapple smoothie. I’m rather parched. They look rather busy and it may take some time before anyone here will be able to bring it up.”

 

“Not at all.” And he’d rather not let the boy go down to fetch it. As soon as he walked away, they would be on him. It was safer to let him hold their seat than letting him go off alone. “I need to make a phone call anyways. I’ll be back shortly with your drink.”

 

“Thank you,” Spencer allowed the affectionate squeeze to the shoulder. He even gave a bright smile so the man wouldn’t realize that it was a ploy to get him gone. Let him believe that he was more than willing to wait for him to return. He wouldn’t get up unless Hotch didn’t take the hint. If it came to it, he would simply run back to his room for some privacy. Drowning himself was a tempting option, or fast becoming one. Now he saw it! The moment Michael got far enough away. Two other males got up and started towards his chair. One was the burly jerk that had reeked of beer yesterday and had asked if he wanted to have a few drinks. He had politely declined and said he already had plans. 

 

Not wanting to give the option of sitting or coming to talk. He looked over towards Hotch, who indicated his head towards the pool. Getting away was easy once he sat down on the edge. Before he could slip into the water the dark head popped from beneath the surface and closed the last two feet. Hotch had beaten the others to it, and he’d never been happier to see him. The smile wasn’t fake or forced, “Hello.”

 

“Hello,” Aaron swam up, placing a hand next to the hip. Where had the engineer ran off to? He had noticed Spencer saying something before he walked away. Had it been set up? How much time did he have to work the introduction approach? “Was that for my benefit?”

 

“Don’t flatter yourself,” It was a good thing no one was close enough to hear the words they were exchanging. The playful smile did things to his stomach and his words were brushed aside. The dismissal had been for Hotch’s benefit, to give him the option of coming over. “You have some time before my company returns.”

 

“Then I guess I should make use of it,” Let the man return, he could handle it. Aaron backed up, leaving enough space for Spencer to drop down. “Join me, that way it looks like I got your full attention. Come in, the water is nice.”

 

“Alright,” the water was cool. Blushing was easy, Spencer hated that the blush deepened from realizing that he was blushing. Sinking down into the wanted spot brought him extremely close to the naked chest. Being this close made him nervous. The atmosphere was personal and knowing what they were about to start pretending made him anxious. “Should I start calling you Aaron?”

 

“Of course, calling me anything else wouldn’t be fitting for the situation.” A large, hairy male that reminded him of a gorilla dove into the water right next to them. Drawing attention to the fact that he was there. Aaron heard the disgruntled sigh, another suitor? How many did Reid have? “How about dinner together?” 

 

The invitation was said for the benefit of the unwanted third member of their little corner. Their space was being invaded by someone rude and it was irksome. If he were really on here looking for love, he wouldn’t consider dating anyone that clearly had no manners. Dinner with Hotch, a false date. “Alright, why not.”

 

Good, because he really didn’t like the older male hanging around so much. Too much more and the man would start insisting on some form of relationship with Reid. They would have to start being seen together, so none would question it when they stayed in a room together. Talking about the case out in the open was too risky, they would have to use his cabin. It didn’t have any neighbors and gave privacy. Being at the end of the hall, none had a reason to come that far unless they were coming to his room. “Can I help you?”

 

Really? If not for the pissed off glare, Spencer would have laughed at the question. That was being rather domineering and rude. He hadn’t liked having the man so close either but that was a risky move. Leave it to Hotch to not give a damn that he may piss someone off. Without answering, the third swam away to leave them alone. “Playing the alpha male much? Do I need to worry about being urinated on?”

 

“That’s not how I leave my scent,” besides the asshole could clearly see that they were trying to talk. It was in his right to say something when their personal space was being crowded. Aaron moved another few inches forward, putting him almost flush with his partner on this case. “I can’t spend the rest of the trip worrying about them. A few aren’t going to back off unless I make it clear. Much like your new friend.”

 

“Right,” he had noticed. That one may actually take to pissing on him. Was that necessary? Spencer brought a hand up to place it on the chest. That was too close, even to be playing a role. “Ho.t.. Aaron?”

 

“We are being watched,” and Spencer was having the reaction he wanted him to have. The cheeks turned pink from his closeness. There were two ways to go about this. Be like the annoying millionaire and slowly try to seduce Spencer with his charm and manners while snarling at others. Or go with the domineering, assertive, alpha male persona, which suited him better. In the other’s eyes he had just stepped up to tread on wanted territory, and he knew how to play the game. “Your blush is actually kind of adorable.”

 

“Sorry, I’m not used to having you this close.” A few hugs weren’t the same. Neither of them had shirts on, he could feel the damn heat coming from him. Spencer didn’t like the laugh, it wasn’t funny. “You are practically oozing testosterone, and it makes me a little nervous. Is this really necessary?”

 

“Yes, your wanna-be boyfriend is watching us.” Aaron glanced towards the man, and smiled. Someone wasn’t happy, but it had worked. The look spoke volumes, he had used the man’s absence to make his move. “You’re going to have to ditch him to have dinner with me.”

 

“I know,” Nice, the chest was hard. There was no extra fat on the surface. The scattering of hair added appeal. Why did his mind have to go to the happy trail? Hotch had one and he would be more than happy to follow it. A hand came up to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear, the act affectionate. “You’re doing that on purpose, you are trying to annoy him.”

 

“I am, he’s doing his own form of profiling. He’s carefully watching every move I make and your reaction to it.” The eyes were straying back and forth. It helped his ego and their plan when the simple action didn’t garner any negative reactions. His touch wasn’t unwanted. Spencer was allowing him to stay and have his attention. Which he had already denied several others, Michael knew he had serious competition. “He’s been warning me off for the last two days. What kind of man would I be if I got frightened away by a few glares? Besides, I need you to fall for my brutish mannerism.”

 

No problem there. Spencer swallowed the lump in his throat. He needed some space or he was going to have a serious problem. It was being laid on thick. Hotch took the hand that wasn’t pinning him in and placed it on the one he had on the broad chest. Fingers tightened around his own, the face too close to be in the friend zone. 

 

“Here is what you are going to do.” Because he was the boss. Aaron let his gaze drop to the open mouth. It was too soon to try kissing him, but the urge was strong. He wanted to lean forward to sample the ripe mouth. Reid had a mouth made for kissing, “You’re going to get flustered by my obvious and blunt attempts. You will not bother speaking to your friend, not one word. If he tries to stop you, you lie and say you want to go back to your room and lie down. Once there, ALONE, you will wait until exactly eight-twenty to get a late dinner. You’re going to want Italian tonight and make sure it is known you need a table for only two. I’ll be there at eight-thirty, be alone. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes,” Gods, yes, he got it. Spencer pried his fingers away from the hold. There was no faking the need to run away. That demanding tone ordering him around, it was making him flustered. Being told what to do was somehow arousing. In his shame, he pushed by him, and scrambled out of the pool. He practically ran off of the deck and inside. His feet found the stairwell that would lead him up to his room. 

 

.  
.  
.

 

Next chapter: Dinner for two and Michael makes another attempt.... Comment and talk to me if you wish to see this chapter. Does this make me a review whore, perhaps, but I'd rather work on something else if no one is really wanting to read more of a certain fic, Don't know if it is liked if no one lets me know.... Thank you!


	4. Chapter Four

A/N: Here is chapter four, I meant to have it up last night. Thanks to everyone that commented for me, my muse loved them as well. It makes him want to get off his butt and work on another chapter for our readers. It took longer to post cause I wanted to add a bit of length to this chap. After you are done, let me know what you think. 

 

Chapter Four

.  
.  
.

 

Eight-ten, it was time to leave and get a table. Spencer wasn’t in the mood for Italian, but it was where they were supposed to meet for dinner. What was he doing? This wasn’t a real date! It was so they could begin the ploy of their becoming an item in order to work on the case. He couldn’t forget that they were on a case and that there could be an unsub on board. This was work, not a vacation. 

 

How did he look? Looking at his reflection had nothing to do with wanting to look nice for his company. The appointed meeting location was one of the nicer restaurants on the ship. The dress was not casual, he had to look decent to get inside. Did he look presentable? No doubt Hotch would be arriving in a suit and tie. He was forgoing the tie, the suit fit well for being store bought. There wasn’t much he could do to improve his appearance. Grabbing his keycard and his room card, he left the suite. The price of the room ensured that his room key would be recognized for what it was, a statement of being first-class. He wouldn’t have to wait to be seated no matter where he went. There was a reserved section for anyone that carried a suite card. 

 

Stepping out in the hall, he considered the fastest and safest route. Running into Michael or someone else that may want his company for the evening, had to be avoided. He didn’t want to deal with any admirers tonight. He wanted to relax, not work on being polite. He went down the stairs, avoiding going the long way. As long as he was able to get a table, and Hotch was able to make it to his table before anyone else. 

 

This way, he exited directly on the same floor as the restaurant without running into anyone. It was getting late and most of the passengers would be settling down for the night, or enjoying the heated pool and bar. He smiled at the hostess, a petite blonde female that looked up from her novel. The place had a few occupants, only ten percent of the tables were in use. Normal dinner hours were over, but that didn’t matter with his card. He politely showed it to her, “A table for two in the back, please. My company should be along shortly.”

 

“This way.” She led him to the back, away from the rest of the occupants. The décor was expensive, the atmosphere was for fine dining with a date. Another example of how the cruise catered to couples or people looking for love. The table he was led to had a satin table cloth and candles. 

 

“Thank you,” he took his seat as she lit the candles. The lighting was dim, so dim he had to squint to see the print of the menu. This could hurt someone’s eyes, “Can I have a moment? A bottle of your finest red wine while I wait on my company.”

 

“Spencer?” 

 

No way, was the man stalking him? Spencer leaned back seeing the approaching male. What were the odds? They weren’t good. In order for Michael to find him, he had to have seen him come inside. That was unnerving to say the least, and there was no way to get out of the confrontation. The older male was coming towards him with purpose. The suit looked nice on the larger figure, but it wasn’t the man he wanted to have dinner with. “Michael?”

 

“I thought that was you I spotted coming inside. I just finished dinner,” Michael was glad he had seen him. The little genius had rushed off earlier today without warning. Whatever the other man had said had caused Spencer to become uncomfortable enough to flee. “I wish I would have known you’d be coming down.”

 

“Sorry, I wasn’t hungry until half an hour ago. I decided I was in the mood for Italian.” Spencer wanted him to leave. It had to be time for Hotch to appear and he had no idea how it would be handled. The hostess had seated him in the back, so he wouldn’t know when his boss arrived. 

 

“No need to apologize, Sweetheart.” Michael wasn’t angry. Spencer wasn’t the type to hunt down someone if he wanted company. “Now that I’ve found you, why don’t I join you for a drink?”

 

“Actually, I kind of ran into someone on my way here and agreed to have dinner.” Spencer spoke calmly, trying not to show the resentment at having his false date interrupted before it could begin. He also didn’t like that the man had come after him. They weren’t a couple, he still had the right to eat alone, and spend his time as he pleased. 

 

“He’s having dinner with me,” Aaron snapped from behind the unwanted male. He didn’t bother keeping the irritation out of his voice seeing him standing there. He didn’t need to ask what were the odds of them running into each other. The man didn’t have a Spencer-radar, this didn’t bode well. Could his agent not roam the ship without being stalked? If the man was going to be that bold, he would have to speed up the game to ensure Spencer was left alone. What he saw didn’t sit well with him. Aaron stood his ground as the man turned to confront the person speaking. The anger was clear, so was the disdain. The man wasn’t happy to see who it was. Which made him smile.

 

“Is he?” That one. He should have known, Michael really didn’t like the man. The cocky smile, it was uncalled for. It was just one little dinner, nothing more. He’d shared several meals with Spencer in the last few days, and more. This wasn’t going to change anything. He had no idea how the competition had managed to get Spencer to agree to the date. “My apologies, I didn’t realize.”

 

“Now you do,” Aaron took it in, how the man completely straightened to show off the impressive height. It was a display, a challenge, and he accepted it. The man was already territorial, how much had happened between the two so far? Whatever reason there was for the attitude, it was going to end now. “If you’ll excuse us, we are about to have dinner.”

 

“You’re excused,” but the rudeness was not. Michael ignored the dismissal, turning to give the object of his affections his attention. He wasn’t finished, he wouldn’t be leaving just yet. “Spencer, seeing as you already have plans for this evening. Would you do me the honor of having lunch with me tomorrow?”

 

“He’s going to be busy,” the man had a set on him. Aaron answered for Spencer. If not, then the man would try to coerce his agent into spending more time with him. It was time to put his foot down, and if the man kept ignoring him, it would come down directly on the man’s spine. “He’s made plans with me already. Get lost!”

 

“Sorry, b..but I’ve already agreed to spend the day with Aaron. Perhaps another time,” Spencer wanted to crawl beneath the table. He was being put on the spot by the two. This was going to be the turning point of the vacation. If Hotch made a stake now, there would be no backing off or Michael wouldn’t take their false romance serious enough to stay away. 

 

“Then another time,” Michael let it go for now. The man could have tomorrow. A day or two wouldn’t make that much of a difference. Someone like Spencer wouldn’t be happy with this type of man. He wouldn’t back off completely, he would just let Spencer come to that realization. 

 

“Don’t count on it,” Aaron knew he was heard as the man walked away. The place was perfect for their initial dinner. The lighting gave a romantic atmosphere, and they would be left alone due to it being an obvious date. Not just two passengers having dinner together. The chair was pulled out, the hairs were standing on his neck. If he were to turn around, he was sure he’d find the man staring at him. 

 

“He’s about six feet away and watching you.” Spencer tried to smile while saying it, so the man wouldn’t realize that he was unnerved saying it. Their voices couldn’t be heard, facial expressions could give it away. He also didn’t want the man to think that he was unhappy about being joined by someone else. He was happy that his boss had finally arrived, “I was starting to worry you wouldn’t make it in time to prevent him from sitting down.”

 

“Did he follow you?” Aaron ignored it, unwilling to let the glare bother him. It was what the other male wanted, to make them uncomfortable. He was hungry, and they had a lot to discuss. 

 

“I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure.” Spencer already knew what he wanted to order. As expected, Hotch was wearing a suit, and looked great. He looked immaculate in the finery. The scent was there again, a fresh crisp scent. Having been along for the shopping, Spencer knew it couldn’t be the shampoo, or any form of cologne. Unless his boss carried a spare bottle of the brand in his normal go-bag. “Um, I took the liberty of ordering a bottle of wine. I figured it would make this more believable.”

 

“That is fine,” Was this the menu? Aaron glanced over the options. The waitress came back to drop off the bottle, along with two glasses. She took the time to uncork it and pour their first glass. “I’ll start with the Caesar salad, no dressing, and I’ll have the beef cannelloni.”

 

“I’ll just have the chicken saltimbocca,” Spencer handed the menu back over. He grabbed the glass to have something to do with his hands. He took a sip to test it. It wasn’t that good, he waited for the waitress to leave. The intimate setting made him nervous, which was foolish. There was nothing romantic between them, and this was just another case. “How has the trip been so far?”

 

“Would you care to tell me how far things have gone between you two?” Aaron refused to answer that question. What he wanted to know was the reason behind the man’s behavior. Was it a case of instant obsession or did he need to look closer into the millionaire? “He seems rather insistent.”

 

“That is taking making an ass out of an assumption to a new level,” Spencer placed the wine glass down at the question. He was a professional, he wouldn’t fuck while on a case. They hadn’t done anything, “If you wish me to be blunt, I’ve done more with you. His behavior is simply because he is a man that is used to getting what he wants, and for some reason he sees me as a conquest. We’ve shared a few meals together, I only accepted because it is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

 

“Then I shall have Garcia check into him further, his behavior is unsettling.” Even if the man wasn’t their unsub, he didn’t like it. “He’s taken a seat, he isn’t going to shrug his shoulders and find someone else to pursue. Did you happen to learn anything while spending time with your admirer?”

 

“Yes, I can go over everything I’ve learned once we are alone.” Spencer toyed with the stem, fidgeting at the underlying accusations. He wasn’t responsible for the man’s obsessions. Nothing had happened between them, and he wasn’t the only one that had an admirer. “I’m not the only one with an admirer, Ho… Aaron.”

 

“Pardon?” Aaron paused mid-sip, what was that? He wasn’t the one that had a male watching his every move. Having someone stalking that wasn’t their unsub would complicate the case, and it was trouble they didn’t need. 

 

“I said, I’m not the only one with an admirer.” Spencer scoffed that being an experienced profiler, his own unit chief, hadn’t noticed it. He was certain of it now, because he paid attention to every face. Mostly because he had constantly kept scanning his surroundings the last two days in hopes of seeing his boss. “Today at the pool, one of the younger males sitting on a lounge chair was watching you. That same one is at the far back table, near the deck doors watching you. He has a date, but he keeps glancing at you.”

 

That just meant that someone was seeing him for the second time and liked the way he looked. It wasn’t the same, “Staring is different. If we don’t handle the situation now, it will become a problem. The man plans on convincing you to spend the rest of the cruise at his side, which includes your nights. We can’t have him showing at your room looking for an invite inside.”

 

True, that was always a possibility. Spencer wouldn’t answer his door if it were to happen. He wasn’t green, he understood what Michael wanted from him. “You’re right, so what do you suggest?” 

 

“We are going to finish our dinner,” Aaron would handle it. He would play the part of domineering, obsessive male as well. “When we are done, I am going to walk you back to your room. Make sure you don’t answer it for anyone. Tomorrow, we will spend the day together, fulfilling our roles. We will give it a few days until we can convincingly begin an affair. I will handle him if he becomes a nuisance.”

 

“I can handle myself,” he could do it. Spencer would handle Michael, but he agreed. What was Hotch doing? The tanned hand reached across the table to grasp his own. The fingers were calloused, strong. 

 

“I know you can,” but that wasn’t the roles they were playing. Spencer’s persona was that of someone shy and unsure. Which was going to make his faux pursuit believable. He would be the aggressive male going after the sweet and innocent doctor. 

 

“Am I supposed to be okay with the excessive alpha-male behavior?” Spencer gave the fingers a small squeeze before pulling away. Touching Hotch did things to his stomach, this was going to be difficult. The chuckle wasn’t reassuring, which made him bring up one important detail that needed to be discussed. “Um, did you notice anything since being here? I mean the couples?”

 

He had noticed plenty. Aaron smiled at the waitress carrying the tray. His salad was placed down, along with a basket of breadsticks. After reassuring them that their meal would arrive soon, they were left alone once more. Only two days and he had noticed what had to be bothering Reid. This wasn’t a simple cruise ship for those with same-sex preferences. A normal cruise carried a sense of public standards when it came to behavior. Today in the pool, after he had been left alone, he had spotted three couples making out. One in particular had gone far enough to have sex in the pool. The motion of their cuddling could have only been from the one holding on rocking his hips underneath the water. There was no holding back when it came to enjoying someone’s company. If they were to continue the ruse of meeting and starting an affair, then it would appear out of place if all they did was hang out together. “Once we begin, our ruse won’t be believable unless we go with the norm on this cruise.”

 

The norm being couples feeling comfortable enough to make out in public. They would have to act as a real couple, two men wanting to make the most of their time together while on the cruise. That meant touching, kissing, and possibly making out in front of others. Not to mention eventually spending nights in each other’s rooms. That was doable, no one would be there to witness their activities. Spencer nodded, “Yes, we’ll have to blend in. Are..are you going to be okay with that?”

 

Was his dedication to the case being questioned? Or was Reid asking if he would be able to go through with it? That had to be the reason behind the concern, “Yes, we will do what is required of us until the case is resolved.”

 

They could try, but was it going to work? A romantic affair while on a cruise, statistically, the relationship would include a physical aspect at some point. This kind of vacation, the passengers were onboard looking for someone. If they ‘hooked up’ then they had to pass off having a relationship that included sex. The response was professional, lacking any real emotion or conviction. He was bringing up the fact that they would have to get partially-intimate with each other while here and Hotch carried the tone one would when discussing their taxes. He wasn’t sure if he should be reassured that his boss would do the job, or insulted by the lack of enthusiasm. 

 

Was Reid worried that he wouldn’t be convincing enough? Or was the younger profiler concerned over the fact that they would have to go further than they had originally planned? He knew almost nothing about his team’s personal lives, especially Reid’s. He had no idea if his company was dating anyone, or when the last time he had been. Was the concern due to Reid not wanting to get that physical with him? They would have to deal with this slight complication, “Our meal has arrived.”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

The coffee was too strong, it was going to put hair on his chest. How was Hotch managing to continue downing the sludge? The next pot was on him, or he would fall asleep without the caffeine. Eighteen hours of reading, his eyes were tired from looking at the small screen. When would be a good time to call it a night? He appreciated the work Garcia had done for them, it was going to make their jobs easier. “Cross Alan Harper off the list, I recognize his picture. He was the waiter I spotted making out with the hostess the other night. He isn’t bi-sexual or gay, this guy is a lady’s man.”

 

“Crossed,” Aaron removed the name from the many that were still left. Thanks to the updated profile, they could start narrowing down the list of possible. His thumb clicked on the next file, he wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to remember who was who with so many faces. They had to narrow it down a lot more or burn themselves out trying to find something. “Do you want more coffee?”

 

“Sure, I’ll make it.” In order to drink it. Spencer jumped up from the chair, putting the tablet down on the table. Aaron had taken to sitting on the bed, in a pair of pajamas. The cotton bottoms were loose, hiding any attributes from his appraisal. What made it hard to focus was the bare chest. While relaxing and leaning back against the headboard, the man had a distracting habit. Every so often, the hand would go down and lightly scratch the happy trail. A nervous tick, or a comfort habit? Each time the fingers went south, it drew his attention to the scattered hair. 

 

“I’ll make it,” Aaron would make it. They had spent the last two days inside his suite working on the case. The clock on his cell showed after midnight, he would need to get some sleep soon. However, he wasn’t the one that had stayed up all night assisting Garcia in assorting files. “I’m going to stay up for a few more hours. Why don’t you get comfortable and get some sleep? You looked exhausted.”

 

“I am,” he was beat. Bed would be good, he didn’t think he had another hour in him. They still had time before they returned to the states, and the unsub had always waited until after the ship redocked before taking a victim. “Okay, I’m going to head to my room. Will you wake me in two hours?”

 

“No, I’ll wake you in eight.” Aaron wasn’t going to wake him until he’d had some rest. Walking around with bags would stand out and overdoing it wasn’t going to help them find the unsub any sooner. He needed Reid at his best to assist, also that wasn’t going to work. “You’ll also stay here and not return to your room. It is after midnight, it’ll look better if you don’t run back to your suite. Sleep here, I’ll take the table, so you can have the bed.”

 

Sleep here, Spencer stretched. His shoulders were stiff, achy. And the cotton was clinging in the front. Looking was wrong, he should avert his eyes. He couldn’t, the material was outlining the crotch. As Hotch walked around the room, the object beneath the pants was visible. He could literally see the distinct impression of cock. “Are you sure? I don’t mind trying to stay up. We still have a lot to do.”

 

“Get some sleep,” they had time. They weren’t going to find the unsub tomorrow, there was simply not enough to go on. A partial profile wasn’t enough to get a name. “I will wake you when I order in breakfast, until then go to bed. Take the left side, I’ll take the one closest to the door.”

 

How chivalrous, Spencer wasn’t going to argue. If he knew Hotch, then the man was going to stay awake the rest of the night. He stripped down, removing just the pants he had put on this morning, and leaving on his boxers and the gaudy South Park t-shirt JJ had picked out for him. Climbing under the covers was damning, they smelt like Hotch. They had denied room service when the woman had come up to change the bedding. The maid had handed Hotch fresh linens after collecting what was dirty and then left. The pillowcases carried the crisp fruity scent that was he becoming addicted to. He was pathetic, he was currently laying down on a bed that had to have cost over five grand, inside a suite that had cost someone over one hundred grand and all he could focus on was the way his boss smelt. That was his one enjoyment amongst the fine amenities. “Wait, Hotch. I just thought of something.”

 

“What is it?” The seat was incredibly warm. Aaron claimed the cushioned seat that had just been vacated by his subordinate. It was still holding onto Reid’s body heat. He tried not to think about how delicate and fragile the genius looked buried beneath the expensive bedding. The only thing that would make the picture complete were if the doctor suddenly decided to start hugging and spooning the pillows. 

 

Spencer ran the possibilities through his mind. If Hotch wasn’t coming to bed yet, then he was going to get comfortable. The pillow was removed from beneath his head, coming to rest in front. Only his chin was allowed to rest on the edge, he pulled it close to his chest. “If we stop to consider how many victims and the possibility of the ship being where the unsub comes in contact with them. For the employees, it may still be a long list, but we could narrow it down by finding all male employees that fit the partial profile that were working during those times.”

 

“The time frame from each one, were almost monthly since the first one. The autopsy reports confirmed it. I’ll have the Garcia request a log for all the trips, if the unsub is an employee then he has gone on every tour for the last seven months. If anyone has missed one of those, we can safely assume they are not the unsub. How to eliminate the few passengers?” He would contact Garcia in the morning, it was a faster way to narrow down the list. “I think you’re right though. Before we couldn’t be sure if they met them and just waited, but after being on the ship for a few days we need to reevaluate things. This cruise caters to hooking up, and less on finding love. I’m willing to bet our unsub hooked up with the victims during each tour.”

 

“What if what we got the victomology confused? We know that two of them had the other’s genitals placed. What if the first two victims weren’t on the same tour? What if he kept the first victim alive longer because he was the start of it all? The first kill is usually more significant than the others, more personal. What if our first victim was the one our unsub originally hooked up with. Half of these men aren’t here for something beyond a holiday romance. What if our unsub wanted more?”

 

“And when the romance was over, he couldn’t handle it. That could be the catalyst.” Aaron was typing out the secure email to the hacker as they spoke, she would share it with the rest of the team. “And the others are substitutes, the unsub could be trying to rekindle that original relationship.”

 

“So we narrow it down to any employees that could possibly have been on every tour for the last few months.” If the company was legit, then all they had to do was get a copy of the payroll to see who had worked every time. They might not be looking for a passenger at all.

 

“We can’t discount some of the passengers.” He knew one in particular he wanted investigated. “I also asked Garcia to see which passengers could afford to attend the multiple cruises. We may be able to knock a few off that way.”

 

Good idea, Spencer tried to contain the yawn. Then they would have to profile those left on the list. They had to narrow it down before the tour was finished. He needed to get some sleep, they could pick up the list after Garcia helped to eliminate some of the names. If it was one of the passengers, it had to be one that could afford it. 

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

The lights were turned down low inside the home theatre. Plush, velvet double recliners were spaced out around, not a typical screening room. The large screen was blank, the movie wasn’t set to start for another twenty minutes. They had reservations, putting them in the upper booth. Aaron kept his hand on the elbow, escorting his date as they let the employee show them to where they would be sitting. The stairs led them up to the balcony overlooking the lower seats. 

 

“Here you go, you gentleman will be using this section for the show. Your server will be arriving shortly. Please enjoy your evening.” Their section would be shared with only three other couples. The seats were stretched out along the balcony, enough space between the four for privacy. The only problem was that there wouldn’t be true privacy. 

 

“Thank you,” this would work. Spencer smiled at the pleasant nod. This gave them the view they needed. The object of their inspection would soon be joining them. ‘Jason Trenton’ had the seat to their right reserved for the six o’clock showing. Garcia was still going through the list of employees. Their suspect list from passengers was narrowed down to only three men. Two were under false passports, the other was Michael. The team was currently looking into the man’s financial records and schedules for the last seven months. 

 

“Let’s get comfortable.” They took a seat on the cushion. Aaron looked around at the other couple joining them. That wasn’t the one he was interested in. The recliner was activated by his companion, the lower half of the seat adjusted to bring up the foot rest. 

 

He needed one of these chairs in his apartment. Spencer almost moaned at how comfortable the recliner was. They knew how to spoil someone, he never wanted to get up. The movie wouldn’t start for another fifteen, and they had to profile Mr. Trenton. They had reservations for the evening marathon. It included dinner, and three movies. 

 

“Are you ready?” Aaron leaned back. There weren’t too many people to observe their behavior. This was their first time out since officially hooking up. It wasn’t the first time undercover for either of them. They had a role to play, from this point they were to pose as a couple that was enjoying a heated romance. The time limit placed on the vacation, it was the norm for any passengers that did find someone to make the most out of that time before the ship docked them back to reality. 

 

No! The response was a nod that he was ready for what was to come. They didn’t have to make out to the point of getting each other off in public, but they had to pretend to be into each other. He had a role to play. A role in which he had to be attracted and sexually into Hotch. He turned to his side to cozy up to his company. Placing his head on the shoulder, his knee was bent to rest on the leg. They had gone over the plan before leaving the room. Aaron had suggested that being the assertive one, he would be the one to lead things in public. Spencer was to let his boss dictate how things went while acting like the smitten virgin being pursued by a bold and experienced, older man. 

 

“Comfortable?” Because he wasn’t. Aaron had no problem with their position or that the second couple had spotted them and were looking over. What was unnerving was how right it felt to have one of his subordinates cuddling against him. The closeness in height placed the head in the perfect position to use him as a pillow. None of that pain from having a chin digging into his chest or collarbone. The soft hair meshed into the side of his throat, so close he could smell the shampoo. 

 

“Yes,” his boss made a very nice pillow. Heat, Hotch oozed it. Just being close was awkward, it wasn’t believable enough. An arm was draped across the hard chest, to complete the appearance of cuddling. Fingers were put over his own, to start caressing. The act of a normal couple, nothing to question. “Do you think he’ll show?”

 

“Possibly,” the reservation was in the name. If not, they had to remain for a time, as not to draw attention to themselves. They had shown with the pretense of wanting to enjoy the viewing. The pamphlet claimed that it was a romance marathon. No titles had been announced, Aaron wasn’t here for the show. They were to check out one of the suspects. Long fingers, the doctor had soft hands. “If he doesn’t show by the end of the first film, we’ll create a reason to need to leave.”

 

The lights dimmed further, and the screen lit up. The seat remained vacant. Spencer partially paid attention to the flick showing on the screen. His position made it possible to watch, yet the touch was distracting. The touch had stopped being passive, the fingertips had begun to caress. Was it a habit or intentional? And the B-rated movie had just taken a drastic change. The two police officers, partners, had started out their evening drinking, and an argument had broken out between the two. A heated debate that was changing into the larger partner pushing the other against the wall. Clothes were being torn off, ripped in some places. If not for the bottom begging for it, it could be confused for rape with the brutal way the other began to fuck without care for his lover’s comfort. That was close to being porn. The only thing missing was the sight of actual penetration. The bottom’s privates were seen for half a second while being positioned onto the bed. Face down, the scene was to demonstrate anal from behind. The lustful screams echoed from the multiple speakers. It was only twenty minutes into the film. 

 

That was hot. Spencer’s throat tightened, and he wasn’t sure how to react to what they were viewing. It being a tour that catered to gay men wasn’t enough to prepare for the light porn that was on the screen. The two men were going at it with an eagerness that would affect any gay man. It was the kind of passion that most longed to find. The performance was very convincing, so were the moans. The two weren’t faking the sex, the camera was keeping it safe by not zooming in on the penetration, but the two were not acting. The bottom’s facial expression when the bed creaked from a powerful thrust, was the look of one that just experienced the ultimate pleasure that a man could. 

 

Dammit, it was over. Aaron heaved a deep breath as the scene change to show the two lying in bed together. The darker male began to stir, waking up after the night of vigorous sex. Once both were awake, the situation began to close in around them. Co-workers that had just slept together, letting things go too far. The one that had done the fucking began to flip out and claiming that it had been a mistake. The argument was sound, if a little expected. It was labeled as a romance flick, yet the reasons the two shouldn’t be together were valid, despite what either of them may feel. 

 

Spencer felt for the shorter male. It was clear that he was in love with his partner and had finally experienced what he always wanted only to be told that he was a mistake in the morning. The argument was sad, the film continued. The hurt partner asked for a transfer, moved, and then began dating another male. The new boyfriend was handsome, tall, and genuinely in love with the cop. The scene was showing their relationship, a content and normal one, as normal as an open gay relationship could be. 

 

Aaron turned from the image. Looking down where their hands were connected. He had subconsciously begun to stroke the fingers. Thankfully the knee was too low, and the lights were dim enough that his reaction to the movie wasn’t noticeable. The denim of the shorts was digging into the erection. Before the blood could return to his other limbs, another scene began. This time it was one between the new couple, the two were ‘making love’ instead of the raunchy fucking. The action wasn’t as dramatic, yet the impact wasn’t any less.

 

This was horrible. Spencer adjusted his weight, mainly to ensure that his waist wasn’t too close. The relationship between these two wasn’t as hot, yet he found that he was more envious of it. The sex began after a romantic dinner. Kissing and touching, the act was slow and sensual. The bottom wasn’t begging to be fucked harder like last time. He was begging his lover to go slower, every so often the whimpering had a way of sending heat directly to Spencer’s groin. The blanket was covering up their lower half, all they could see was the movement of hips. The thrusting motion, each time the larger man bucked low, the other would make a noise. 

 

He knew that noise, the way the hands reacted to the deep thrusts. Aaron couldn’t prevent the way his body responded to the knowledge of what was taking place. If the one portraying the top man were to bare himself to the camera, he’d bet his retirement that the penis wasn’t average. Real fucking, the fake cop wasn’t faking the reactions to the man’s size. The noise of slight pain mixed with pleasure. Hands that pushed at the shoulders because it was impossible to move away from the cock that was causing the sensation. He knew the signs all too well. His first few months with Haley he had dealt with the same kind of reactions. 

 

The only thing missing was the emotion in the kissing. Spencer pondered the high-pitched squeaking that was causing the fingers caressing his knuckles to pause each time. Was Hotch unnerved by the film? Pretending to be gay for a case wasn’t the same as wanting to watch a movie about men fucking. Was it his imagination or was Hotch’s breathing increasing? The rise and fall of the chest was faster than before. Was it time to abandon their post? The hand was abandoning his own, finding his wrist, then forearm. 

 

This didn’t bode well. Spencer knew what was going to happen before the movie got to it. The old lover showed up at the precinct for a case to run into the cop. They foolishly thought to pretend that their night hadn’t happened until the boyfriend was introduced. The jealousy was there, the undeniable resentment at being replaced. The boyfriend was completely clueless and trusted his lover enough to leave him alone with the former partner. Another sex scene, the two were giving into their hidden emotions. This one placed the pretty one on top, riding, and taking what he wanted. “What?” 

 

They were being watched. The other couple was glancing at them, and speaking to each other. Questioning who they were, or measuring their interest in each other? Aaron knew interest when he saw it, it was being directed at himself this time. His gaze drifted toward the one with him, he used his fingers to tilt the chin, and getting the face to look towards him. His intent was clear, the eyes widened as he lowered his head. 

 

This wasn’t the same as kissing in front of the team. There was no one here that knew them. The restrictions, the expectations were all gone. So were any reservations that would force the kiss to remain platonic. The mouth crashed over his, giving the kiss he had been warned would happen. They would have to kiss and touch in the public eye, this type of kiss. The wet tongue pushed between his lips, delving inside. The hand was going for his hair, entwining in the mass to keep him from pulling away. 

 

So responsive, Aaron had to remind himself that they were both playing a part. The tongue was timid, yet met his willingly. He was in control of it, deepening to the point of forcing his partner to lean more to keep it going. Hot breath rushed against his tongue as he licked the plump lip. The next kiss, the genius initiating the display, pulling him back.

 

The sound of fucking echoed in the space, the movie going into another hidden moment between the cheating couple. Spencer was lost, as he feared, kissing Hotch made him feel things he shouldn’t. His body was beyond aroused, his lust had awakened from the show. Having Hotch’s mouth on him, he wanted more. Nothing prevented him from scooting closer, partially on top. His head was released, the hand going to his knee, and pulling it up and over the waist. That’s when he felt it, the hardness pressing beneath the denim, and trailing past the waistband up the stomach. His lower thigh was coming in contact with the erection. Above average, if his judgement wasn’t clouded by overwhelming pent up sexual desire. 

 

He was throbbing and taking it further than necessary. Aaron swallowed the gasp of shock in the kiss, knowing what caused it. There was no way his erection wasn’t noticeable, he went as far as to rub it against the clothed limb. It didn’t cause Reid to pull away, instead, the hand that had been fisting his shirt up until that moment let go. Let go, going down to his crotch. The ache doubled, the hand discovered him. Groping his crotch, starting to massage him through the clothes. 

 

The palm didn’t come down to stop what he was doing. It gripped his own, assisting in rubbing the hardness. Spencer felt like he was dreaming, to be relaxing in a theatre and intimately touching the man he wanted. The thickness filled his hand, indicating what Hotch had to offer someone. Him, if he were ever to be that lucky. “A…aron?”

 

They now had the perfect excuse to leave. To his dismay and horror, Aaron couldn’t stop it. Nor could he hide it. The tip was peaking past the waist and the mess shot out to hit the shirt. From the rapid groping, the hand was doing what it could to prolong the pleasure as the orgasm had him moaning. Another spasm ripped through him and he lost it feeling the fingertip find a way between the buttons of the shirt to run over the smooth head. Was he going to?

 

The thick moisture was collected on his finger, proof that he had just caused Hotch to have an orgasm. What would it taste like? He brought it to his mouth, tentatively darting his tongue out to sample the flavor. Mild and a bit salty, not strong as he had feared. Or was it due to it being a small amount? Nothing was said as he dipped his finger inside to find the puddle. 

 

Aaron watched, unable to speak out to tell him no. It went right to the discharge, whatever was on the finger, was placed inside the mouth. Reid was tasting him, why was that extremely arousing. Why did he want to remove himself to allow for a better taste? They had just crossed a line, one that didn’t need to be passed in order to complete their case. Fuck, the hand was there, the middle finger rubbing the tip. The very brief deflation didn’t last long, the blood was stirring, and he wanted the pretty mouth on him. “Spencer.”

 

Next chapter: Hotch is approached with an offer, and the couple takes a swim... Please comment! HIT THE F****** BUTTON! Have a good one and I'll have the next chapter up within a week, since work wants me back.


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: Here is the next chapter, it isn't that long. I had another section to it but am currently revising it, I wasn't satisfied with it. I'm posting this so you know this fic isn't abandoned. As I mentioned in another author's note for my other fics. I was sick for a while and did start a new job a while ago, they have me working overtime every week. I am strapped for time. So if you wish for me to spend what free time I do have working on this fic please shout out to me after you read. Time to write is rare and I prefer to work on something I know will be appreciated and enjoyed. Thanks!

 

Chapter Five

 

.  
.  
.

 

The sound of his name was like a sledgehammer coming down, in two ways. The most direct impact was to the groin area. Spencer paused, hearing the voice reminded him of who he was fondling. It was his boss’ cock, not a stranger, a random date, or someone he should be touching. Going this far wasn’t necessary to continue their charade of being together. His own curiosity had brought it this far, and he was positive that his name had been said in warning. Any male would get off with the right stimulation and he was pushing it. 

 

The credits were beginning to roll on screen, leaving the theater with minimal lighting. Disappointment, it was choking, but Aaron knew not to insist or to cross the line further by trying to force the genius to do something that he most likely didn’t want to do. Kissing was far from placing another man in one’s mouth. Minutes passed, and the names raced across the screen. The head was now resting on his chest, in a convincing position. Spencer was cuddling up to him and the abandoned erection was starting to die. 

 

Spencer didn’t like it. He placed his hand on the shirt, keeping it away from the deflating member below. Something inside made the fingers tighten and clench possessively. Hotch wasn’t his, it is a charade, yet the negative emotion came to life as he looked over to notice that his companion was being observed. The man watching was far from attractive, he was rather unattractive. The oily, red hair was framing a freckled face that didn’t hold one single pleasant feature. It was wrong to judge someone by their appearance, Spencer decided to make assumptions based on the stranger’s rude appraisal of his boss. The eyes were trying to undress what he was laying on top of. Another passenger that liked what he saw. 

 

Aaron blinked as the overhead lights came on. There was to be a fifteen-minute recess before the next show began. A feminine voice announced that the guests were no longer alone. It was the same female that had shown them to their seats. She was asking the few in the section if they cared for any refreshments. He did need something strong to drink to calm his nerves. It was their turn, “Yeah, a coke and jack.”

 

“Bottle of water,” Spencer heard the order for the drink. It was only one and if he had the taste for it, he may have considered getting one. What he wanted was to know who the passenger was. He was positive it wasn’t someone on their list. The couple was wearing matching wedding bands, any married couples on vacation would have been immediately scratched from the list. Being married would dismiss the man as being their unsub, yet he didn’t care for the man’s attitude. The smirk and obvious scoff at being caught staring rubbed Spencer the wrong way. In the light, he got to see the person clear, and he wasn’t sure what to think of him.

 

Ugly, the man was fucking ugly. Aaron noted the smirk towards his ‘new boyfriend’, and the non-verbal dismissal of their being together. He had already come to the conclusion that one of them was rather unattractive. In the bright light, one could see how unappealing the man was to the eye. The only way the man had found a partner was with money or …. It had to be the wealth that made it possible to afford a cruise like this. The nasty glare suggested what kind of personality the bottom of that couple had. “Are you sure you don’t want anything else before she leaves?”

 

“No, I’m fine.” Spencer adjusted his weight to keep most of it front being applied. He did keep his arm and leg draped across Hotch, even went as far as replace it directly over the groin. He didn’t like the way his presence had been dismissed or that his boss was still being ogled like a piece of candy. What kind of relationship did those two have if the larger man didn’t care that his husband was blatantly interested in another? “Are we going to remain for the next movie?”

 

Yes, or he’d be tempted to head back to one of the cabins. Aaron nodded instead of answering, he couldn’t voice the why. It was safer to remain in public right now. Things could go only so far as long as they were in full view of others. They needed to turn off the damn lights, he could see a small trace of himself on the lips. Spencer’s bottom lip was still moist from tasting him. “If you don’t mind.”

 

“Not at all,” Spencer was relieved that Hotch wasn’t rushing to get away from him. He was comfortable and being held was nice, it made him feel safe. Honestly, he didn’t want to be anywhere else. Laying beside his unit chief somehow felt right, as if he had been waiting his entire life to make it this one spot. 

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

How was this going to work? Spencer ran a hand through his hair at the knock, debating on how to handle the situation. Something was wrong. It had been in Hotch’s demeanor during dinner the other night, and all day yesterday. They had spent the day together, if one could call it that. They had remained at the pool lounging next to each other, but he may as well have been sitting next to a stranger. They had barely spoken to each other and he had escorted back to his room after dinner with a simple goodnight despite there being others in the hall. The dismissal had been cold and withdrawn.

 

There was only one other person in the hallway as he opened the door shortly after noon. Spencer fidgeted seeing the man standing there. Two days, the confrontation was long in coming. “Hotch.”

 

“I’m coming in,” Aaron made his way into the room. He knew his subordinate wasn’t going to be happy with his decision. It had taken hours to figure out the best way to handle the situation. They were just a week into the trip. Seven days out of forty-five and he had been quick to forget the reason they were here. This had been a horrible idea from the start. 

 

“Okay,” he let him inside the room and shut the door. Was he going to be lectured for taking things too far? Spencer knew it needed to be discussed, they had weeks to go before they could get off of this ship. There was also having to live with whatever happened once they were back. “Hotch, about the other evening.”

 

“It won’t be happening again,” this was for the best. Aaron had to put his foot down. They had an unsub to locate and it would be easier if he could focus on the case. He couldn’t focus, not with Spencer around. How easy it had been to forget why they were here the other night, it wasn’t professional. “I’ve spoken with Garcia, we have narrowed the list of potential employees down to six. Only these fitting what we have was on every tour, so one of these men has to be our unsub. I will be taking three, you will profile the other half. The files have been sent to you. Every evening you are to contact her and update her on your status.”

 

Why not report his findings to Hotch? Spencer nodded his understanding, he was to check out three of the employees. What else? It wasn’t going to be happening again. Hotch was avoiding eye contact, signs of the man being upset and annoyed. “And our cover?”

 

“We will continue to mingle amongst the other passengers under the guise of looking for company.” They would cover more ground if they went their own way. It was safer as well. The depth of his depravity was clear. That had been their second kiss and he had coerced it into heading into more. He had started it by rubbing himself against Reid’s leg. The genius wouldn’t blame him, but the fault was all his. 

 

That was it. Spencer wanted to apologize, to ask Hotch to forgive him for going too far. He shouldn’t have touched him. Now Hotch didn’t think he could handle the guise of them being a couple without it becoming uncomfortable. Did his boss realize that he felt more than just friendship for him and was being too nice to flatly tell him that it was never going to happen? It was implied, he got the message. Hotch didn’t want to risk him forgetting his place. Whatever had gotten the man aroused, it hadn’t been him. The porn? The idea of people fucking perhaps. It hadn’t been him and Hotch had freaked out because he had touched him. Now that it had sunk in, the man wasn’t happy about how far things had gone between them.

 

“Garcia will be expecting your call or email every evening to check in. We will stay away from each other until we are back in the states. Come to me if you find anything pertaining to the unsub.” Because being alone together could be dangerous. The ploy wasn’t going to work, not when he found that he had enjoyed being touched. Trying to seduce his subordinate was unprofessional and it would complicate their working relationship once they returned. “Come to me only if there is something you can’t handle.”

 

He could handle it. Spencer agreed, knowing a dismissal when he heard it. Without saying goodbye, Hotch turned and left the room. He could do it, he would check out the list he’d been given. The slamming of the door felt like a blow to his chest. 

 

Turning on his laptop, he found the files via Garcia. In a separate email, there was a personal message. The hacker was asking what was going on. Hotch had been rude with her and informed them that the ploy wasn’t working and that they were going with the guise of trying to find someone else. They were going to know that someone was wrong. For Hotch to change their undercover assignment, the others would know. He chose to ignore the email, responding only to inform the blonde that he would be in touch the next evening after starting on the three. 

 

.  
.  
.

Next chapter: Hotch goes on a date and Spencer comes to a shocking conclusion.... Press the damn comment button! Just kidding, kind of. Please comment for me, my muse adores them! Thanks and I may.... may.... have the next chapter up by this weekend since it is more or less done I just got to finish editing it.


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: Here is the chapter, hope everyone likes it, but possibly I will have shit thrown at me by the end. I will prepare to duck. Or try cause I honestly think I pulled a muscle in my ass at work. If you enjoy it and want to see more you know what to do. 

 

Warnings: Slight sexual content, (slight)

 

Chapter Six

 

.  
.  
.

The man he was observing wasn’t their unsub. Aaron tapped the fork against the table, irritated that he had wasted his time by remaining this long. He had accepted the invitation to coffee after Peter’s shift was over, three dates ago. This was their fourth date, four too many. The employee worked in the bar as a waiter. The blonde hair was cropped short, the blue eyes were the one attractive feature. The face would have been pretty if it hadn’t been squashed. The overlong chin was pierced, one eyebrow had a ring, and he often caught sight of a bar in the mouth. 

 

“I was thinking that after dinner, we could go back to your room.” Peter leaned forward in the seat. What he wouldn’t give to get the man alone. There was handsome and there was hot, the man was both. Not to mention rich if he could afford one of their first-class suites.

 

Back to his room? That was bold and left no room for misinterpretation. The blonde wanted to come back to his room, so they could spend the night together. Doing so wouldn’t get any more answers. Aaron was positive that this wasn’t their unsub. It was between two on his list, Peter and one of the managers. The third had been straight with a girlfriend that also worked on the crew. 

 

The invitation was tempting. No one would know about it and it would relieve some of the stress. The sexual tension that had yet to leave since he had let Reid touch him. Using his hand hadn’t eased the need. He wasn’t walking around with an erection, but he couldn’t shake it. What he had felt, what he still felt. The kiss, not even kissing the love of his life had managed to make him feel like that. Just two simple kisses and he had been ready to disregard all priority and convince the younger agent to come back to the room with him, and not to go over files. “Alright, let’s go.”

 

He would take the man back to his room to further his investigation. As a waiter in the bar, Peter may be more willing to talk about anything he may have seen if he were to pretend to be into him. It was an undercover assignment, if something happened while he was undercover that was part of his persona, then it was not going against the rules of conduct. He was pretending to be a gay man on a cruise looking for love. If doing his job meant possibly getting intimate with someone, then he would have to do it.

 

“Great,” Peter jumped from the table. There was no way he was going to be disappointed. 

 

They headed back towards the upper floors. Aaron let the male walk with him. No more conversation was exchanged, the destination was clear. They were going back to his room for sex. They made it to the door to his suite in record time. “Come in.”

 

“Don’t mind if I do.” 

 

This might be a bad idea after all. There was nothing to give away his identity out in the open. All of his files were on his laptop. Looking at the large bed, he swore. The covers on one side were still rumpled from the last time Reid had spent the night in his bed. He had informed the maid he would make his own bed and only wanted her to exchange the linen in the restroom, dropping it off early in the morning when he was in the room. His need for privacy was respected. “Peter, maybe we shouldn’t.”

 

“I think we should and I know you want to.” There would be no turning back. Once the man got a taste for him, then things would go his way. 

 

“Wait,” that wasn’t going to change his mind. Aaron rolled his eyes at the attempt. The blonde went to his knees without hesitation, the hands going straight for the belt. The urge to push the man away was strong. How would Peter react if he were to suddenly change his mind? The rejection might be taken the wrong way. Any man on board the ship that had come this far would go through with it. It was a carefree night of fun, how was he to say no?

 

“Good boy,” Peter pulled the trousers down, getting the man to step out of them. Next the boxers were removed to free the treasure meant just for him. His companion did the removing of the shirt on his own, getting rid of it and the tie. “My, you’re nice. I bet you fuck like an animal.”

 

Shit! This was really going against his morals. Aaron closed his eyes having the hand start touching him. What was he doing? Besides being an idiot? He couldn’t deal with how an agent and good friend had made him feel, so he was going to let some stranger go down on him? The mouth was already wrapping around the head, the heat and moisture getting the reaction that hadn’t been there before. It was impossible not to get hard as the mouth began working on him, sucking and licking his length. 

 

That was actually good. The waiter knew what he was doing. The pleasure was there, making the tension tighten in his groin. The stimulation was the only thing keeping him hard, it was enough to keep the blowjob going. Aaron placed a hand on the head, the need to orgasm was growing. His breath hitched feeling it, the spring being wound tight. A click, and a startled gasp.

 

“Hotch?!”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

Another wasted evening, he hoped that Hotch had better luck than what he had. Spencer stirred the alcohol-free cocktail with the pink straw, his gaze going beyond the melting ice or the mixture contained in the glass. What to do with the rest of his time? He had already sent his report to Rossi and Garcia, both had already responded before he had left to get dinner. The three he had been given had been cleared. All three employees were straight, one engaged, one with a girlfriend, and the third a bitter asshole that still lived in the sixteenth century. He had watched all three to profile the best he could, and he was positive that it wasn’t any of them. That left Hotch’s list to choose from and to find the one responsible. There was a chance that the unsub wasn’t on the ship this time. 

 

What to do with the rest of the tour? Besides dodge unwanted attention. Out of his peripheral vision he spotted his former admirer having dinner with another male. For the last few days, the most he got were a few smiles. From the glances, he knew he was giving off a dark aura. His outward demeanor was that of someone that didn’t want to be disturbed, that suited him. Spencer had no desire to talk to anyone. If he were to be left alone for the remainder of the tour, that would suit him. Unlike his boss. 

 

It was their job to blend in while searching for the unsub. He was in no way disillusioned about what they had been sent in to do. What bothered him was that he hadn’t had to go on a date with anyone to do a decent profile. Who was the blonde that he had spotted his boss with? It had to be the third date, if not more. Was the waiter going to be the one Hotch passed the time with while remaining undercover? It bothered him. It was more than the fact that he was in love with the man. 

 

He had seen the way the other male had been looking at his boss. Whoever the guy was, he wanted more than a casual relationship with Hotch. Was it easier to pretend to be with a complete stranger than him? There was no way the other man wasn’t going to want to sleep together after spending so many days together. That meant the one he cared about would prefer to be with someone else. If there was to be sex, Hotch would rather have it with someone else. Was it the way he looked? 

 

No, it was everything. He knew it was. They had spent more than a decade together, on the same team. Hotch had never shown any interest in him, none. He was a subordinate and a friend at best. Hotch was his boss, that was all. That was why it hurt. He wished he had defaulted on his offer to be the one to go undercover. Now he knew what it was like to kiss the man, to be held close. How could he go back to pretending that he thought of Hotch as nothing more than what the world saw him as? 

 

The water-downed drink was pushed aside. It was getting late and there was no point in wallowing in public. He was ready to head back to his room and get some sleep. A hot shower to clear his head, and curling up with a good book. Another night alone, of being just a neighbor. They weren’t even talking. How were they to discuss the case if Hotch was ignoring him? 

 

It was tempting to head into the room and force a confrontation. The key to the room was in his wallet with his own key. It had been given in case of emergencies. Wanting to see the man wasn’t an emergency. He had to deal with the fact that Hotch was more comfortable pretending to want a sleazy romance with a stranger than pretend to want to be with him. There was nothing he could do to change it. It was something he had long accepted, a kiss didn’t change a thing. He inserted the key to let himself in his suite.

 

Had the maid changed his linen? Spencer stepped into the room, seeing the simple changes since he had departed four hours prior. He was positive he had taken the time to make the bed. It had been made when he had left the room, to his standards. Nothing was missing from the suite, his bags, laptop, and coat were where he had left them. Nothing appeared to have been stolen. 

 

At a quick glance, it was still made. The covers weren’t how he had left them. One side was hastily tossed back into place, not made. That hadn’t been there either. One the bedside table was an envelope, with his name scribbled. That wasn’t Hotch’s handwriting, it wasn’t a note from anyone that should be coming into his room. Who else would leave something for him? Without reading the note, he went to the rumpled side of the bed. It had been disturbed for a reason, why? 

 

Pulling the covers back, a shiver of revulsion ran down his spine. The damn sheets were a royal blue, close to being black. The white stain drying on the sheets was unmistakable. It could only be one thing, and if he hadn’t noticed the untidy attempt, he would have slid underneath the covers and right into the contamination. Someone had come into his suite and ejaculated on his bed. Not only had the person done it, the perp had left him a note. 

 

What did it mean? His first thought was to assume that it was the unsub. It couldn’t be. The profile stated that the unsub went after men that he had interacted with and desired. There was a personal connection between them. The only one to show any real interest in him since boarding had been Michael. He knew that it wasn’t the engineer. The man had been in the bar the entire time, since his arrival and still there when he had left. It had to be someone else. A pervert that got off on defiling rooms? Then what was in the note? Should he open it? Or should he take it to Hotch?

 

Not wanting to be alone when he opened the message. Spencer withdrew the key, he suddenly didn’t want to be alone in the defiled space. His quarters had been invaded by an unknown pervert. Hotch would know what to do. This was something he had to share with his boss. The behavior was definitely odd, and he truly had no idea who would do it. 

 

Banging on the door might disturb the few occupants on the hall. That would be the only way to get Hotch to answer. If his boss wasn’t in the room, then he would simply wait inside. Right now, he didn’t want to be in the other suite alone. When Hotch returned from his ‘date’, he would just explain why. The card was inserted into the slot and the green light came on. Unlocked, he pushed the handle down and opened the door. 

 

The sight that greeted him was worse than finding the stain on the clean sheets. The blonde was on his knees, directly in front of Hotch. The state of undress and the motion of the bucking head, there was no mistaking what he was about to interrupt. Their Unit Chief had a hand on the guy’s head, urging it on. It was so shocking the name came out before he had the intelligence to slip back out without them realizing that he had just caught them in an act of oral sex. 

 

“Hotch?!” The eyes popped open at the sound of his voice. Spencer swallowed the bile that rose in his throat and he had no idea what to say. The hard appendage was torn from the face drastically, showing off the impressive erection that had just been used as a suckable treat. There wasn’t anything to say, there was no denying what he had walked in on. “Sorry.”

 

The blonde’s disappointed groan followed him on the way out. The door clicked shut behind him, separating him from the truth. Unable to return to his own room, he kept walking. He made it to the end of the hall, hitting the staircase. He had no idea where he was going, no destination set in his mind. Just away, somewhere he could clear his head, to forget what he had seen. To try to convince himself that he hadn’t just walked in on his boss getting a blowjob.

 

The fleeing led him to the top deck, to the pool. There were only three couples enjoying the water this late in the evening. None paid him any mind, he also didn’t want to watch them frolic and have a good time. He grabbed one of the lounge chairs and spun it around to face the ocean. Sitting down, put his back to the others. 

 

Seated and away from the suites, he concentrated on calming his breathing. The pounding in his chest was threatening to make him bring up dinner. The pain of it, confronting it. Coming face to face with the truth. Since he had accepted what he felt, it had been easy to accept that there would never be anything between Hotch and himself. Telling himself that the reason was because Hotch was straight, made it acceptable. One couldn’t help their sexuality. It made the pain less because the reason hadn’t been himself, just something that couldn’t be changed or helped. Realizing that the man had the potential to be bi-sexual, it was crushing. The one he loved wasn’t straight. 

 

The look on the handsome face had been unmistakable, the attention had been wanted. The blonde stranger had been pleasuring him. That meant Hotch was at least bi-sexual, and the reason the man had pulled away from him had nothing to do with being straight. The simple, plain truth was that it was because he was who he was. Aaron Hotchner didn’t feel anything for him that went beyond being on the same team. 

 

Next chapter: Heated words and another present...... I'm sorry for any typos or errors. It is seriously hard to do any editing when I'm exhausted but I still wanted to get the chapter out. Thanks! Comment for me and stop throwing things!


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N: I'm posting a few updates, hopefully. Sorry for the delay on all of them. Been sick off and on for weeks. Finally, went to the ER when I started hacking up bloody mucus. Found out I had pneumonia, lucky me. Even so, I only took three days off work. (I didn't have to be hospitalized, a good thing) Got bills to pay. So, I haven't felt like doing much lately but sleeping when I get home. Here are some updates. As always, if you read and want to see more, let me know. All comments are appreciated. 

 

Also, if my editing is kind of crappy, I apologize. I do my own and I'm sure I will miss something. 

 

Chapter Seven

 

.  
.  
.

The knock was expected. Spencer tied the plastic bag shut, sealing away the evidence. The section of stained linen had been cut out and placed inside to keep it from being contaminated. There was no way to get a sample sent in the middle of the Atlantic. Once they left, it may give him a name, so he would know who had violated his privacy. The note was still untouched, hidden away in the dresser drawer. He hadn’t been back in his room for more than an hour, and there was a knock. It had to be Hotch, he had no idea what to say. The request that he answer confirmed it. The voice was back to calling him Reid, demanding that he open the door now, an order, so he did.

 

“Reid,” Aaron took the first few seconds to read what kind of mood the doctor was in. It was hard to tell. There wasn’t visible anger on the features, just a sullen look. “Can I come in?”

 

“Of course,” he wasn’t going to deny him. He still had to answer to the man. They stepped back inside his room to keep their conversation between them. Spencer let him shut the door and took a seat at the small table. At least Hotch had been considerate enough to put clothes back on. “Do you need something?”

 

“Why did you barge into my room?” The demand wasn’t what he had planned on saying, it was what came out. Aaron had meant to begin with an apology. To explain his behavior. It was the disinterested expression, it pissed him off. Spencer should at least be upset that he had caught him getting involved while they were on a case. “I want you to return my spare key. You interrupted my investigation.”

 

“My apologies, but I thought I interrupted your blowjob.” Fine, if he wanted the key back. Spencer dug into his pocket to take out the extra card. Hotch had one for his room, he wasn’t going to ask for it. “I didn’t realize it was possible to profile someone by seeing how good they suck cock.”

 

“Excuse me,” Was that a tone? It was, the genius was catching a definite attitude with him. Not the first time, Aaron didn’t like it this time either. He saw it, the disgust, and the disdain for his behavior. He wouldn’t be questioned, and he wouldn’t explain himself to anyone. 

 

“Do you need me to rephrase it?” How else did he want him to say it? The investigation? Spencer wanted to know how what he had witnessed had anything to do with discovering if someone was the unsub. “I didn’t know that you could profile an unsub by the way he performs oral sex. What did you discover, besides whether he spits or swallows?” 

 

“You are off of the case.” Aaron hissed the answer between clenched teeth. He wouldn’t let a subordinate disrespect him, or question his motives. It was best if Spencer left the case. He could handle this on his own. “I will inform the team of my decision in the morning. Garcia will make arrangements to send you home. The moment we dock in Fortaleza, you will find transportation to the nearest airport and you will be on that plane.”

 

“Whatever you want, I don’t think I can go as far as you to solve this case.” Spencer didn’t care. Hotch could handle the case, he was done. He had gone through his list of possible. There was no one left for him to profile or check out. The team would have to finish the case without him. 

 

“You are testing me, Reid, you will not speak to me that way.” Aaron wouldn’t have it. It was best to send him home, to send the temptation away. Once they were no longer alone, he could deal with the strange desires that were making it hard to do the job. “Garcia has informed me that you have already eliminated the names I gave you. I will finish the case, you will keep a low-profile until you get off. Is that understood?”

 

“Crystal,” he got it. Hotch didn’t want him around. A way home, it no longer mattered. Staying would accomplish nothing. His assistance wasn’t needed, going home was for the best. “Now, could you get out? I’m tired and unlike you, I’m perfectly fine with sleeping alone.”

 

“We will discuss your attitude once this case is over.” They would have a lot to discuss once they were both back. It wasn’t just this case, Reid’s attitude around him had been changing lately and there was a reason for it. 

 

“My attitude? Or are you concerned that I will bring up your way of handling the case in front of the others? Worried I’ll let it slip that you took the time to have some fun while on the job?” Spencer wouldn’t tell. Admitting that the man would rather fuck around with a stranger to keep his cover than himself, it was embarrassing. Hotch would rather hook up with someone that had the morals of a cat and the looks of a horse, instead of pretending to date him. “What I saw remains between us. I won’t tell them that you let the blonde suck your cock, no more than I would tell them that you let me grab it.”

 

“That was a mistake,” both. He regretted the latter more. Aaron wasn’t worried about his behavior being shared with the rest of the team, Reid wasn’t the type. “I’m referring to your total lack of respect when speaking to me.” 

 

“If you don’t like my attitude, then fire me, because it isn’t going to change.” No more than he could change how he felt about the man. Spencer didn’t expect a response to the threat of being fired. 

 

“Be prepared to leave when we arrive, I want you off the ship.” Aaron would make sure the arrangements were made. He would just give the team an excuse for the departure. “You are to no longer involve yourself in the case. Consider yourself on leave until then.”

 

“I heard you, get out.” Spencer got it. He was off the case and wasn’t wanted here. The demand left no room to be ignored, he wanted to be alone. Hotch had made his point. The key was snatched from his hand, and his boss stormed out of the room without looking back. That couldn’t have gone worse. What to do? 

 

What could he do? His help wasn’t wanted, and the ship was scheduled to dock at the first port soon, tomorrow evening. Would Hotch send him away that soon? He took a seat on the bed. He was being sent away. It was just as well, he didn’t want to remain. Not when the only attention he was receiving was from a pervert. Leaning back, he opened the drawer to retrieve the letter that had been left for him. 

 

Before touching the letter inside, he retrieved a pair of gloves. Slipping them on, he carefully opened up the envelope. It wasn’t a dose of anthrax, or anything vile. Just a letter, the thin paper was unfolded. The same script had left a short but unmistakable message. “An angel to weep for my broken soul. It is destined, the end of our journey.”

 

Was it a warning or horrible poetry? A passenger’s sense of courting him? One of the staff that wanted to mess with one of the rich passengers? Or the unsub? That didn’t make sense, he hadn’t had interaction with anyone that could be the unsub. Or were they mistaken? Was the profile completely wrong? What if it was something to worry about? It didn’t matter who it was from. This time tomorrow he would be getting on an airplane to get back to the states. 

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

The email was expected, Spencer sighed seeing the confirmation. There was to be no flight. The only airport close had been grounded due to the weather and it was the reason he hadn’t stepped off of the cruise ship hours earlier. He had expected that it would be the case when he had stepped on decks. The crew had informed the passengers that they wouldn’t be staying more than four hours in the Brazilian port before setting back out. If they didn’t want to be left behind, they shouldn’t bother getting off. Not wanting to spend days in a nasty airport that was miles from home, he had emailed Garcia to inform her of the weather and the possibility of getting a flight home. He had told her he would simply stay on board and in his room until accommodations could be made for him to fly home. 

 

The next chance would be when they reached Australia, in five days. The cruise ship would remain in the country for another two weeks, giving the passengers time to enjoy the many sites of the beautiful country. It was a damn shame, he would have liked to see a bit of the country, despite being on a case. The desire to experience a bit of the scenery made him consider asking Garcia to give him a day or two on land before booking his flight home. He was technically on leave until he returned home, what harm could there be in taking advantage of the free trip?

 

What wasn’t expected was the knock at the door. He knew that Hotch had been one of the few to actually take the risk of stepping off of the ship. He had watched his boss stride down the plank, along with another male. They wouldn’t be leaving for another two hours and thirty-six minutes, so no one should be at his door. Not when Hotch hadn’t bothered to speak to him. It would be left up to him to find out his plans through emails, not direct contact. Not only had his boss departed, but so had Michael. There was no one else on board that should have the inclination to want to speak to him. 

 

Without answering the email, he got up to answer the summons. He was cautious as he approached the door, keeping the chain and the bar in place as he cracked it. No one was in the hall, yet something had been left on the floor. A bouquet of red roses and a wrapped gift. The paper was a plain white with no decorations and there was a small card taped to the top. Seeing no one close to the door, he unlocked it to check the entire hallway. No one, it was empty. Whoever had dropped the gift off had fled after knocking. 

 

Squatting, he examined the package. It looked harmless and anyone could have deposited it. He used the pen that had been stuffed behind his ear to open up the small card to make sure it hadn’t been delivered to the wrong room on accident. The same penmanship had scribbled his name onto the card, with no message. The same person that had invaded his cabin had just come to his door. He didn’t dare touch the box, not yet. 

 

Spencer felt foolish going inside to retrieve a hand towel from the bathroom and to use it to lift up the package. It was taken inside his room and placed on the dresser. What was it? He doubted it was something that had been brought from home. If it was a true gift, then it had been purchased right here on the ship or someone had rushed to the mainland to buy something and hurried back to deliver it. There was only one way to know what it was, that was to open it. If the person wanted him dead, he would be. This admirer had already proven that they could sneak into his room. If harm was the intent, it would be easier to invade his room while he slept. It was safe to assume that if this was a stalker then it hadn’t gotten to the point of going violent, not yet. 

 

Right, why would someone want to stalk him? He couldn’t come up with a feasible clue as to why or who. Probably someone thinking that notes and gifts were a fast way into his pants. Some damn pervert that was probably using the same tactics with a fourth of the passengers. Mind made up, because he wanted to know what he was dealing with, he used the same pen to tear the paper keeping the wrapping together. At least until he could see what had been delivered. 

 

A brown box, plain with no distinct logos. Using the towel, he opened up the lid to peek inside. A sculpture, carved from pure glass from what he could see without lifting it. It seemed harmless, a little knickknack bought from one of the many tourist shops. He reached in and carefully lifted it, still unwilling to let his guard down. It was only six inches tall, but the detail was beautiful. A male angel with his wings spread wide, hands in prayer. The robe was encrusted with sparkling jewels; diamonds. He turned it upside down to figure out where it had been bought. It was inscribed to him, “Para o meu anjo, Spencer.”

 

To my angel, he was no one’s angel. The comparison was a tad creepy and the gift was placed back inside the box. What he wanted to do was lift prints from the box and find out who was disillusioned. Doing so would be a waste of time if it wasn’t their unsub. Doubtful, not when Hotch was working on the remainder of the list and he was positive that the two left were vying for his boss’ attention. The unsub would be sending gifts to Hotch, not him. He didn’t need to waste Garcia’s time searching for prints that wouldn’t help them locate the unsub. Even a disturbed stalker wasn’t worth concerning himself over. If it got serious, he would handle it. The box was taken to the closet and tossed onto one of the shelves. 

 

Needing to get out of the room, he snatched up his wallet and the room key. The weather was nasty outside, eating on the deck was out of the question. He wanted some lunch since he wouldn’t be disembarking to catch a plane. If Hotch had a problem with him remaining on board, he could fire him when they returned. He wasn’t sitting in an airport for days because Hotch couldn’t deal with his presence. He would remain in his room for the remainder of the trip until they reached Australia. He had been forbidden to assist in the case, nothing had been said about enjoying the rest of the trip. 

 

Fuck it, he was on leave, boss’ orders. That meant he wasn’t working at the moment and his passage had been paid for. Rossi wouldn’t be getting a refund, so he may as well make the most of it, he didn’t have to answer to Hotch for now. He was going to get something to eat and try to pretend that it was possible to forget the last few days. To not think about what being sent home meant. 

 

The trip took him to the sandwich café that would have what he wanted. Instead of being waited on, he went directly to the counter to place his order. There wasn’t that many inside and he was seen to immediately. The male to take his order wasn’t that thrilled about his job and it showed. “I’ll have the turkey on wheat, plain with a side of chips. I’ll also take a bottle of water to drink.”

 

“Here is your ticket, it’ll be a few minutes.” The scrap of paper was handed over with the order placed and it showed where his room card had been scanned. 

 

The hair on his neck alerted him to the unwanted stare before he turned to spot the man that was sitting at the table near the door. Spencer had to give him points for not turning at being caught. He recognized him immediately and he couldn’t stop his eyes from searching for the other half of the pair. It was the tall man that had been in the movie theatre with the rude redhead. The dirty blonde hair was cropped short, close to the scalp, displaying the large ears. In looks, the face was average, and the only thing that really stood out on the man was his size. Without the need to see the stranger stand, Spencer would put him at six-five or six-six easily. The shoulders were broad, the arms bulky with muscle, and the neck was thick from working out. For someone that ripped, the form carried a relaxed quality that pointed towards being more agile than one his size normally would be. 

 

“Thank you,” Spencer took the bag being offered towards him. He would take his food back to the room and eat. He wanted to be locked safely behind closed doors before Hotch returned from the mainland. The less they saw of each other, the better. 

 

“Hey, you.” Mr. Bulky had the audacity to reach out to prevent him from walking out of the door. “Got a minute?”

 

“Not really, do you mind removing your hand?” He didn’t want to be touched. Spencer was relieved when the fingers let go of his shirt. That answered that, the man had sat near the door in order to stop him on the way out. Had he been followed inside, “Are you following me?”

 

“Kind of, I saw you come inside and I wanted to ask you something before you hid yourself again.” 

 

“Then ask,” Spencer wasn’t worried about being accosted in the middle of the café. What did the man want from him? If it was to proposition him, he wasn’t interested. 

 

“Are you going to the party tomorrow night?” 

 

“I haven’t made up my mind,” Spencer tried to understand the reason for the questioning. The brochure containing the itinerary for this week had two events listed tomorrow night. There was to be a seafood-fest for dinner in one of the main restaurants and there was the implied pool party. The description said it was at the A deck pool and to only bring yourself, nothing else. A party contained mingling, dancing, and drinking. A good chance to move around the passengers unnoticed and he could observe them closer. “Why do you care to know? Won’t your partner take offense to your interest?”

 

“Not at all. How many married couples do you think actually come on these things? Almost none, but we do for a reason. We have an agreement, while on board, we are free to do whatever and whomever we wish. Why don’t you come? If you do, look for me.”

 

Like that explained everything. If he went, he wouldn’t be seeking this man out. Spencer nodded in order to end the conversation and leave. Another one looking for a quick tumble in the sheets. What kind of relationship allowed for cheating while on vacation? A vacation should be meant for a couple to spend quality time together and rekindle their romance, not find it with others. That was the kind of relationship he would never want. He wanted a commitment from whoever he ended up marrying. 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

What type of party was this? Aaron let the hand lead him towards the deck. He had opted to wear a tshirt and shorts with sandals to the gettogether. His room key was in his pocket and he was unsure if going was the right move. Peter was leading him, and he was allowing it for one reason only. This Brent Reynolds was going to be at the party as well. During lunch the last one on his list had walked up to ask his company about attending the party with his date. It wasn’t against the rules for the help to consort with the passengers. Unfortunately, this Brent would be working the party, which meant he had to find a way to check him out without upsetting anyone. 

 

Times like this he really needed to bring Reid in on it. The thought had crossed his mind when he had accepted the invitation. Yet, he didn’t want the genius attending the affair. Technically, his subordinate was off duty and was free to do as he pleased. Since Garcia hadn’t been able to book a flight out without a long layover, Reid was stuck on the ship for another week or so. 

 

“These parties are so fun,” Peter couldn’t wait to get there. He had worked the last one from the sidelines and this would be his first time actually being part of it. He was arriving with Aaron, but there was always the chance of leaving with someone else. Perhaps bringing the man here wouldn’t be a complete waste of time. Seeing as getting any cock from his date was looking bleaker with each passing day. 

 

It better pan out for him. Aaron was starting to believe that the unsub had sat this trip out. Either the unsub wasn’t on board this time or they had the profile entirely wrong. The problem was they didn’t have enough to create a decent profile with what evidence they had. The case was officially his and Garcia’s for now. The rest of the team had put it on hold in order to start work on another case that had come up. They were on their own for now and it would be a pain in the ass if they had to reconstruct the profile from scratch. 

 

The music was loud enough to be heard the moment they stepped out into the night air. One could tell in the breeze that a storm was raging miles away. The air felt nice on his skin and he should have known that there was a catch to the party. The brochure had stated just to bring yourself, and that was exactly what it was. 

 

Aaron almost turned around seeing the guests hanging around the pool. There were three bars set up for their use, a twelve-foot grill, and not a single lounge chair in sight. The area was cut off with an erected fence made up of wire and dangling ‘do not enter’ flags. Two hosts were standing next to a large podium and there were small bags tossed nearby. He was going to make a small assumption that the bags contained everyone’s clothes. One had to discard before being admitted to the party. 

 

“Come,” Peter dragged him along, Aaron was his way into the party. The hosts shook their heads at his approach. They were jealous, especially Brent. “Ready to take our clothes?”

 

The banter was ignored. Aaron wasn’t sure how he was going to check out the last staff member if he had to walk around with his dick flapping in the wind. He had no choice, he had already agreed to attend. If he were to back out now, it would look strange. The sight of other naked men didn’t bother him. He went with it, he began to undress after his card was checked. 

 

“In the bag, please.”

 

His clothes, along with his card were tossed into the small cotton bag. Aaron took the matching wristband that shared the same number as the bag. It was a clever way of making sure the right person got their belongings returned without a fuss. 

 

“Thank you, enjoy your evening.”

 

Someone would be, but it wasn’t him. As an agent, it didn’t take much to hide his dismay at being forced to roam around several dozen naked males. More than a few were already checking him out, either to gauge the competition or because they were weighing the odds of ending the night with him. It mattered little that his date excused himself almost immediately to go speak with someone else. His first stop was the open bar to order a drink. 

 

Wow, it was a wonder most of the men didn’t run and hide in embarrassment. Aaron took a sip of the whiskey and didn’t hide the fact that he was looking around. Or that he understood why more than a handful of the partygoers were gawking at one man in particular. The redhead from the movie was nowhere to be seen, the partner was alone. The guy reminded him of a military reject and a damn elephant. There was no way in hell that thing got completely hard during sex. Go figure the redhead walked around with a sour disposition, the poor thing had to be suffering from permanent rectal damage. 

 

If the two were a couple, they had a very open relationship. Garcia had made mention of three married couples having bought passage on the ship. Not too shocking, not if they wished to take a vacation and not have to hide their affections. The blonde mammoth wasn’t faithful to his husband, or he wasn’t a profiler. Someone committed would get offended over being hit on so boldly. He didn’t have to be able to hear it to know that the little male standing nearby was offering to let the monster use the third leg on him. 

 

Nor did it take a genius to realize that the man had just said something to piss his company off. The pretty male was glaring and turned away to look elsewhere. The gorilla pushed away from the railing to head towards the other side of the pool, towards the entrance of the makeshift fence. More than the man was interested in whoever had just shown up. Aaron couldn’t see who it was past a large group gathered around drinking. He did catch sight of Michael as well. It was good to know that the millionaire had given up on his team member. 

 

Aaron took a sip of the booze to head towards the pool with the intent of getting into the water. If he was going to stand around naked, he may as well do some skinny dipping. He stopped noticing that Michael had left his partner for the evening as well, heading towards the entrance. Leaving perhaps? Cocking his head to the side, his gaze was able to see past the group. Someone was standing at the podium, but who? He wanted to know who had the attention of many of the men standing about. It was normal for the gay males to watch and inspect any and all that took the time to disrobe. Only about half had taken the time to watch him take it all off. Someone had almost all of the guests turning and watching the display.

 

Why did he suddenly want to make a run for the newcomer seeing the slender form from the back? He didn’t need the person to turn around to know who it was. The tentative way the hand came up to brush back the hair behind an ear, the nervousness that came through as he began to disrobe, and the sweet curve of the backside screamed for attention. What the hell was Reid doing here?

 

Next chapter: Spencer gets a kiss..... Comment please!


	8. Chapter Eight

A/N: Sorry for the wait, hope you enjoy. Don't forget to leave a comment if you want to see more, thank you!

 

Chapter Eight

.  
.  
.

 

NUDE! He had to get nude. Spencer reconsidered attending the party. In order to gain entrance into the affair, he would have to take off all of his clothes. He had to get naked in front of all these strangers. Taking a deep breath, he tried to convince himself that it was no big deal. It was no different than showering in gym class or going to a nude beach. He had nothing they hadn’t seen before and he was lacking compared to most. He could do this. He needed to do this, to prove that he could. 

 

His damn fingers were shaking as he unbuttoned the shirt. Spencer didn’t care if it was noticed that he was nervous, he wasn’t brazen. This was new to him and he didn’t mind playing the blushing, inexperienced, gay man if it helped him do this. He wanted to use this opportunity to take notice of anyone paying special attention to him. If his admirer was amongst the partiers, then the fan would definitely be checking him out if he stripped down. 

 

The shoes were kicked off next to leave his feet bare on the waxed surface. All that was left was his shorts after depositing his room key into the bag. This was the moment of truth, could he do it? His fingers felt clammy trying to undo the button of the shorts. There was so much ass here, his was just another in the crowd. He had to bend over to remove the last stitch of clothing and folded them neatly before placing them inside the bag. The plastic wristband was snapped around his wrist to identify which belonged to him. “Thank you.”

 

“Enjoy your evening.”

 

He would try. Spencer nodded and turned to face the party. What were they looking at? Was it custom to inspect and rate everyone as they entered? He shrugged it off, he didn’t care if they found him lacking or didn’t like the way he looked. He wasn’t here to appease them or to catch their eye. The more that found him unappealing, the quicker he would be able to spot the person that was leaving him odd gifts. 

 

Today it had been a pair of silk, white boxers. The clothing had come gift-wrapped and smelt like strong cologne. The only difference was this time there had been no card left with his name on it. He had trashed them, along with the angel. He didn’t want an admirer, and he didn’t want anyone trying to get lucky with him tonight either. 

 

To get away from any and all eyes, Spencer went to the pool. Sitting down on the edge helped to cover up his ass and partially his penis. The water was warm, and it was tempting to slip in. Swimming would distract from his goal, and he was in hell. Why couldn’t luck be with him? Did Hotch have to show up here? 

 

Damn, the man looked awesome without a stitch of clothing on. Spencer coyly inspected his boss without being rude. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on the lean form and that was what was being hidden beneath those baggy suit pants? He had gotten a good impression of it the other day, but seeing it out in the open was different. The member was soft, yet it was impressive. Glancing at it for a second as it popped out of another man’s mouth hadn’t given a clear indication of what there was. What was the true measurement? Spencer was going to guess at least eight when fully erect. It made his own six seem pitiful in comparison. 

 

“Nice to see you out,” Michael took the seat next to the doctor without asking for permission. Fuck asking, he was tired of waiting. He wasn’t the only one that was getting antsy. For Spencer to show up tonight and to brazenly display what he and a few others wanted, it was asking to be approached. The young man was glorious, close to being perfect. A few scars marred the pale flesh, which only added intrigue to the beautiful package. Even the cock was sublime, just the right size for someone with that lean of a frame. What got to him was the backside that had been shown off while bending over. Someone had an ass made for fucking. The pert bottom was made for cock and he wanted to be the one to put it in there. 

 

“It is a lovely evening,” Spencer welcomed the company. It forced him to give his attention to someone else. The last thing he wanted was to be caught staring at, holy shit. That made him blush. Was there some kind of strange average on this damn passenger manifest? Looking over at his company was a mistake, he got to see everything. The man was nice without clothes as well. Built, tan, and thick. Was the purpose of this party to show off one’s package? He was starting to feel seriously at a disadvantage. Michael’s cock had to be over four inches on soft and close to two inches thick without being filled with blood. That was something he didn’t want coming near him. 

 

“It is now,” the night was turning around. Michael was curious what had caused the doctor to stop spending time with the lawyer. It had taken longer than he liked, but now was his turn to pursue Spencer. “Would you like to go for a swim?”

 

“Sure,” just to get his waist underneath the water. Spencer pushed away from the edge to slide down into the water. It was warm and being in the water without a stitch of clothing on took a few minutes to get used to. “Isn’t that your date glaring at us? Or is he not the same blonde I’ve seen you with at least seven times now?”

 

“It is, and we didn’t come here together.” Michael was pleased to hear that Spencer had been aware of his spending time with another. It meant that the doctor had taken note of him when they weren’t together. That one wanted something serious with him after they disembarked, and he wasn’t interested. The young male was good for a fuck, but that was all. He wouldn’t consider seriously dating anyone that would jump in his bed on the first date. “I am not interested in pursuing anything with him.”

 

“You may wish to tell him that.” Spencer didn’t care for the hate-filled glare in his direction. That was the problem with the random partner exchanging, someone always wanted more than the other. He got it, why he was being given such a shitty look. Michael was a catch. Rich, handsome, and packing some rather nice equipment. 

 

“I have,” twice. Last night and earlier this morning. Michael eased closer, treading the water despite being able to touch the bottom with his feet. Spencer was still holding on with a hand, it was his turn. “Now that you are coming back out of your room, what are the chances of seeing you at breakfast?”

 

The chances? Spencer almost declined the offer immediately; the denial was on the tip of his tongue. It was there until he caught the dark hair in his peripheral. He was off-duty, he had time to kill before he departed the ship. Why should he remain hidden in his room? He wasn’t working, so Hotch couldn’t say anything about his enjoying a meal or two with someone. It was better than remaining locked up. “Seeing me or sharing it with me?”

 

“Sharing it with you,” breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the time between. Michael got close enough to make his intent clear. The reason for being at this party was to spend quality time with someone, it was to hookup. If Spencer wasn’t going to be foolish and spend the evening with someone else, then there had to be a reason for it. It was as he had suspected; the other man was all wrong for the beauty. 

 

“Very good,” why the hell not? Spencer would have breakfast with him. If Hotch was going to continue working on the case by speaking and mingling with the other passengers, then he could as well. He wouldn’t be working on the case, as ordered. He was sure his boss was still pissed off at him from their previous argument. One that may still get him fired once they returned. He would definitely be seriously reprimanded for his behavior. “But are you sure you still wish to spend time with me? You seem to have several other candidates that are waiting for you to stop talking to me.”

 

“Their problem, not ours.” His only problem was that there was too much room between them. Michael reached out to touch him, his hand going to the tiny waist. With such a slender figure, could Spencer handle things turning rough and frantic in the bedroom? 

 

That was a problem. Spencer opened his mouth to protest to the nearness and the unwanted touching. The hand snaked around his nape and he was yanked rather forcibly against the hairy chest. The mouth caught his, delivering a wet kiss. It was foul, that was the only way to describe it. The tongue probed its way inside, trying to deepen the action. Saliva, too much of it. He tried to accept it, to kiss back. Feeling the moisture ooze out and start to dribble down his chin was too much. He pulled back, needing to end it before he gave into the urge to be rude. 

 

“Wait,” it was just a kiss. Michael saw the panic and swore. Spencer was pulling away and climbing out of the pool. He would have admired how close the bottom was to his face, if not for the fact that his actions were sending the object of his interest running. “Spencer.”

 

Disgusting! Spencer wanted to rinse his mouth out. He wanted to gag feeling the excess spit still residing in his mouth. It couldn’t be helped, it was either politely get rid of the fluid or vomit. His hand was used to spit into and he wanted to flee. The grip on his elbow stopped him and he knew a mistake had been made. Just by letting the man speak to him and act like there was a chance they could spend time together. “Let go, please.”

 

“Wait, what is the rush? I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.” He hadn’t realized that Spencer was that pure. Michael had seen the dark lawyer kiss him, which had also sent Spencer running.

 

“I said let go,” because that had been enough. Spencer wished he hadn’t bothered to come to the damn party. What was he trying to prove? He wasn’t Hotch, he wasn’t comfortable letting just anyone touch him. He couldn’t do it, not when he already wanted someone specific. 

 

“He said let go,” Or Aaron was going to break his damn hand. The man needed to keep his hands to himself. And the damn gorilla needed to put his eyes back in his head. One was pawing, and another was slowly deciding which parts would be sampled first. What the hell was Reid thinking? Coming here and stripping down in front of a bunch of drunk men. It was asking for trouble and it was exactly what had come of it. “Remove your fingers or I’ll take pleasure in breaking them.”

 

“Go fuck yourself,” Michael didn’t let go. This was between Spencer and he, no one else. This pompous asshole had his chance and blew it, and he wasn’t afraid of some pansy lawyer. 

 

“You got three seconds,” or he would take care of it his way. Aaron knew they were drawing a crowd, others watching to see how this would play out. Who would throw the first blow and who would be leaving with the prize? The prize being Reid, who looked confused about his interference. “One.”

 

“It’s alright,” Spencer shivered at the look, he knew it well. There was going to be a fight and Hotch wasn’t going to back down. Why? He could handle it on his own. Or did Hotch think he couldn’t? His boss was angry that he had caused a scene and was getting into trouble after being told to lay low. The kiss had been horrible, but Michael wasn’t a threat. “He is about to let me go so I can leave.”

 

“Like hell,” Michael couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Fear, his Spencer was petrified of the other man. The doctor didn’t want to upset the man for some reason and he could think of a few. “I think you should back off and mind your own business. You can’t intimidate me, I think you should do yourself a favor and stay away from Spencer.”

 

“I think you should be the one to back off. He isn’t interested and you’re pissing me off.” Aaron was ready for it. He could see the red appearing on Reid’s skin from the tight hold. He was going to beat the shit out of the old man if the fingers loosen their hold. 

 

“Don’t,” Spencer didn’t want a fight to break out. He was sure all the nearby passengers would love to see someone get punched, but there was no need for it to go that far. Hotch was being Hotch and trying to protect him because they worked together. This was complicating matters, everyone was watching. They would see something that wasn’t there. They would assume that the two were about to fight for his affections. Didn’t Hotch realize that his actions could be perceived as jealousy? If it came down to a fight, it would look odd if Hotch went back to casually hooking up with other men. Finally, the hand let go of him, but not because of his plea. That was stupid, very stupid. Michael turned to take a swing.

 

The idiot. Aaron caught the fist and took one of his own. His swing struck home, striking the jaw. Dammit, his knuckle came in contact with teeth. He was going to knock the ass again to prove his point. 

 

“Stop,” Spencer had enough of it. It was stupid, Hotch wasn’t thinking clearly. This was going to make it worse, it was going to corrupt the guise of his boss looking for someone. 

 

“Heh, I knew it.” Peter scoffed seeing the display of temper. Figures, he had figured that was the case. Why else would the lawyer start acting different because they had been caught? He knew jealousy when he saw it. A fight over the pretty boy, “It’s always the pretty ones.” 

 

Michael spit the blood and wiped his mouth. For a suit, the man had a nice right. He narrowed his eyes, Spencer had moved to stand between them. What he didn’t understand was why give the one with the temper his back? Spencer was trying to prevent him from retaliating. It was an action meant to protect the other male, why? “Why?”

 

Why? Michael wanted to know why. Spencer was stumped, what should he say? Should he say what it looked like? He had tried to get away the moment another man had tried to make a move on him and within a minute Hotch had interfered and was acting like a jealousy boyfriend. It wasn’t true, but that was how it was being perceived by those watching. He needed to come up with a lie for the behavior. “Because, he’s my boyfriend. I mean he is my ex-boyfriend.”

 

That explained it. Michael laughed seeing the features change. The face fell at being referred to as the ex. If the lawyer was the ex, he was the only ex in Spencer’s life. That did make sense. The man had to have followed the doctor and had come to intrude upon the vacation. The watching and the warnings, the man didn’t want to remain as the ex. “I don’t think he got the message.”

 

“I know, I apologize. It is complicated,” too complicated. Spencer hoped it would be enough to end the fight and to explain Hotch’s actions. “I should have been honest when I realized that he had followed me. Please, let it go. He is an asshole, but he is right. I’m not interested.”

 

Good, Aaron was glad Reid had been quick to come up with an explanation. He had fucked up. His actions were being seen as someone that was jealous. Spencer had to explain the reason behind the temper, and it would complicate the rest of the trip. It was done, there was nothing left to do but continue with the charade. He stepped up behind Reid, putting a hand on the lower back. Might as well make sure the man would keep his hands to himself, “Don’t come near him again.”

 

“Or?” Michael wanted to point out that he was an ex for a reason. Spencer’s denial meant nothing, it wasn’t the truth. Just before the upset, plans had been made to have breakfast together. He had pushed too hard, moved too fast. The rebuttal had everything to do with the ex showing his temper. There had been fear in the soft eyes. With that kind of temper, the aggression, and being the type to follow a lover; the lawyer was that kind of man. One that most likely treated the doctor horribly, possibly abusive. 

 

“Don’t,” Spencer caught the arm, preventing a demonstration of what may happen if Michael didn’t back off. His boss needed to cool his head and he knew that Hotch wouldn’t walk away on his own. “Come on, Aaron. Please, take me back to my room.”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

There was something ominous in the tapping of fingers. Spencer felt better after putting some clothes on. He’d been brought back to the cabin by his ‘ex’ and not a single word had been said. A few drunk idiots had hooted at his being led away. The makeup sex that had been imagined wasn’t going to happen and the tension was choking him. The order to get dressed had been done with a toss of the bag containing his belongings. Hotch was annoyed, “I’m sorry. It was the first thing that came to mind.”

 

Aaron wasn’t angry about that. The lie had been a good one and it had kept him from looking further into his own behavior. The problem was he had acted rashly after watching the other man try to force his intentions. The kiss had bothered him, he hadn’t liked seeing the mouth on Reid. “Don’t worry about it. Seeing as you can’t disembark, it is probably for the best.”

 

It wasn’t. How was Hotch going to continue if it got around that he had punched another because he’d been jealous? Going on dates with other men would be suspicious after acting like someone that wasn’t happy with a breakup. He had said that Hotch had followed him, which meant at least one of them wasn’t ready to give up on the relationship. “I didn’t know what else to say and now I’ve ruined your cover.”

 

“It’s fine,” this ruse was fine. It would only appear to others that he had followed his ex to force a reconciliation. When it hadn’t happened at the start, his dating could be seen as an attempt to make Reid jealous. “We will simply go with the scenario of getting back together. We pretend that I finally convinced you to try again.”

 

“How about I decided to give you a chance to try to convince me that you are worth giving another chance? Don’t forget, one of them knows that I caught you in a rather compromising position. If I was your boyfriend, you wouldn’t get off that easy.” Spencer was still upset about it and they weren’t really together. “To make it convincing, you should do some heavy groveling.”

 

“Should I?” Aaron clicked on the file. They had struck out with their investigation. The unsub might not be on this cruise. Possible that he hadn’t been able to afford another trip this soon. If that was the case, their time was being wasted. It did however open up another route on how to locate the unsub. If he wasn’t on board this time, then it should be easy for Garcia to locate the names of any employees that fit the profile that hadn’t worked this time. 

 

“Yes,” At least to make it more believable. Spencer muttered the answer underneath his breath. As much as he loved to sit here and watch Hotch look at the laptop, there was something very pressing he needed to attend to. Like brush his teeth. “I’m going to return to my room and grab a few things.”

 

“Okay, return immediately.” Aaron wanted to discuss how to proceed. They needed to rethink their profile. They needed more to go on, “We have a lot to discuss so you may as well plan on staying the remainder of the evening here.”

 

Did that mean they were going to discuss their previous argument? Spencer was thankful that they would get it out of the way instead of being made to wait until after the case was over. “Alright, I should be back in less than five. Should I bring my laptop as well?”

 

“Yes, and a change of clothes. You can use my shower,” Aaron dreaded having to apologize for his behavior. Not the display of temper pool side. He would blame that on seeing his subordinate being manhandled. For the words spoken in anger, ordering Reid to leave. 

 

Spencer stepped out into the hall. A few minutes, just long enough to gather up his nightclothes and personal items. The foul taste still lingered on his tongue. What was it about the man that had left the strange aftertaste in his mouth? Not only had there been nasty saliva, the kiss itself had been disturbing. The way the tongue had licked and probed, it hadn’t stimulated anything. Or was it because it simply paled in comparison to Hotch’s kiss?

 

Trying to compare how two men kissed was wasting the time he had to fetch his things. He shoved the keycard into the door and pushed the door open. The room was as he left it before going out to the party. He paused just inside, the strong hint of cologne striking him as being out of place. The employees didn’t wear anything that heavy, it was against policy. It wasn’t a cheap brand either, it was the same scent that always lingered on the gifts. The only way for it to be inside his room and this strong, someone was in his room. Click, it was deafening in the space, and the hairs stood on the back of his neck.

 

.  
.  
.

Next Chapter: Spencer receives a warning and it is Couple's Night.... Comment!


	9. Chapter Nine

A/N: Finally, the update. Don't hate me, I'm trying. I got several fics I'm working on and so little time these days. Hope it is worth waiting for. As always please leave me any comments, they are appreciated. Also, I know it is only chapter nine so far but within the next few chapters, the fic will begin to earn its rating. Yes, there will be porn but with plot. Let me add in something while I'm thinking on it. For most of the smut, Aaron will be on 'top' most of the time. However, there will be some action where Spencer will take the 'top'. That said, on with the chapter. 

Chapter Nine

.  
.  
.

 

“Spencer.”

 

Behind the door, someone had been behind the door. Spencer took a steadying breath. Should he turn around? He didn’t recognize the voice, it wasn’t anyone he had spoken to before. Male, deep, and smooth. Would there be any retaliation if he were to get a look at the intruder? “Who are you?”

 

“Don’t turn around,” the demand was snapped. “Not yet, it is too soon.”

 

“What is too soon?” He didn’t need to ask if he was the same one leaving the gifts or soiling the linen. Spencer was positive only one person was doing everything. Who the hell was this person? What did he want with him? “What do you want?”

 

“To make sure you are ready for the beginning, it will be happening soon. That however will take some time.” A hand got a tight grip onto the back of Spencer’s neck. “I was going to leave you a letter explaining my displeasure. The one that followed, he is in the way. Stay away from him. You are to be mine.” 

 

Hotch? How did he know about that? Only the men at the naked pool party could have heard the explanation. Then his admirer had been there, and close enough to hear everything. The next question lodged in his throat at the harsh and unrelenting force. He had to bring his hands up to stop his fall, partly. Brush, laptop, and the television remote scattered to the floor, followed by himself. It wasn’t enough that he had been thrown into the table, the momentum and slide, caused his crown to hit the wall. Not enough to fear a concussion, just to make his vision blur for a moment. In the time to collect his thoughts, the suite door was opening and all he caught was the sight of jeans as the intruder exited. “Dammit.”

 

Stumbling, he got to his feet. Fluid oozed onto his brow, his scalp had been cut. Spencer wanted to see him, anything. He pushed himself to make it to the door and step out into the hall. Nothing, no one was in the damn hall. That didn’t make sense. Unless, the staircase, the man had to have fled using them. If that was the case, he wasn’t going to be able to locate him. Jeans weren’t enough to go on. 

 

“Shit,” his room door closed. His key was inside, having fallen from his hand. Having no choice, he leaned against the neighboring door. Rapping got the attention of his boss. Dizziness swept over, making it hard to focus. Both eyes were closed when the door was pulled open. “Hotch.”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

“Am I on speaker?” Aaron waited for the confirmation. He would address the rest of the team while Reid finished in the shower. “Good, I have already spoken to Matt. You four will not be accepting any other cases until this one is concluded.”

 

“I thought it was on hold until we could complete the profile.” Penelope repeated their last orders.

 

“Things have changed. We will have to rework the profile and I need all of you available at all times.” Aaron wanted to give them their new orders and the details before he was joined. He knew Reid wouldn’t want the others worrying about him. “Reid has caught the attention of who I believe is the unsub.”

 

“What? Are you sure, Hotch?” Dave was the one to respond. 

 

“Yes, I am. Someone has been stalking him, leaving strange gifts, and he was just attacked. A letter that was left suggests that the unsub will do something once the cruise is over.” Aaron frowned at the many questions that came at once. “Once the ship docks I will be sending you some evidence. Have the lab run the sample that they’ll find on it. It may give us a name.”

 

“What kind of sample? Has the unsub approached him?”

 

“Yes, earlier this evening he was waiting inside Reid’s suite. There was an altercation, but Reid was unable to get a look at him. What I’m sending you is most likely a semen sample. It was left on the sheets. Even if this isn’t the unsub, this person has already attacked him and made threats pertaining to myself. I want to know who he is without delay.”

 

“Of course, Sir.” Penelope’s voice was laced with concern. “Is he okay? Can I speak with him?”

 

“He’s currently in the shower. Don’t worry, he is alright.” Aaron knew that the two were close and she would feel better once she heard Reid’s voice. “I’ll have him give you a call in the morning after he has gotten some rest.”

 

“Hey, Hotch.” It was Dave to bring up what everyone was thinking. “Do you have any idea how the unsub was able to soil the kid’s sheets?”

 

“I am almost positive that the one responsible is part of the crew. That is the only explanation as to how he managed to get a hold of the key. I’ll be staying close to him until we disembark or discover who is responsible.” As soon as Reid got out of the shower, they would be speaking about how to continue. It wouldn’t be wise to allow him to sleep alone. “Right now, I want to start again on the male crewmembers. Reid is sure that the cologne he smelt is Clive Christian, possible No. One.”

 

“Our unsub has expensive tastes,” Dave would know. “Then we are most likely looking for someone older, that isn’t depending on their day job for survival.”

 

“Garcia, see what you can find. Start with the crew over thirty and go from there. Call me back as soon as you have something. I’ll send you any updates via email. Keep in touch,” Aaron hung up the phone before anything else could be asked of him. They would all want to know what he planned to do as far as Reid was concerned. The warning had been for Reid to stay away from him, not an exact threat at himself. It would still be best if he were to accompany Reid whenever they left the room. In the morning, they would bring the rest of the belongings over. 

 

The door opened to the connecting bathroom, steam rolling out. Aaron glanced over to watch the male stroll out wearing a comfortable pair of pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Okay,” Spencer had a headache from the knock. He had heard the faint sounds of talking, Hotch had called the team. They would have been informed of the development. “I want to return to my room and get some sleep. Don’t worry, I plan on putting on the dead bolt.”

 

“No,” that wasn’t good enough. There were ways around it. Aaron would feel better if the opportunity didn’t present itself. “In the morning you can bring the rest of your things over to my suite. Until we are done with this case and off of this ship, you will be staying in here. It is best if we don’t give him the chance to catch you alone again. You got lucky, it could have gone a lot worse. There is plenty of room for both of us to sleep on the bed. Besides, if we are to appear to have reconciled, it would be more believable if we spent the remainder of the nights in the same room.”

 

True, that didn’t make it easier to accept. Spencer almost would rather deal with the unsub. Sharing a room with Hotch, every night. That was going to be difficult. This would be more dangerous than acting like they had met and hooked up. Being an ex implied a previous relationship, an intimate one. They would have to show a certain amount of comfort with each other. “Fine, do we need to discuss how we plan on acting when we are not in this room?”

 

“We act like any couple that split and have now reconciled.” Aaron turned off the laptop. They could pull it off, possibly too easily. There was enough history between them, they would have the advantage of knowing each other for years. The only thing missing in their past was the act of being intimate. That would be the only problem, acting like a couple that has been intimate many times in the past. A couple in love, definitely in his case. For him to have ‘followed’ Reid, he would be either obsessed or in love. His earlier actions could be taken either way by those willing to draw conclusions. “If it helps, I will take the lead.”

 

“Okay,” because Spencer didn’t think he could dictate how they should behave. He had no idea how to act with Hotch in public. It would work, as his pretend ex had already given the image of being overbearing, controlling, and very domineering. No one would think it too odd if he were to follow Aaron’s lead. It would just make him appear like a love-sick puppy that was willing to put up with the personality flaws because Hotch was his first serious boyfriend. “I’m going to try getting some sleep.”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

Couple’s night? What did that entail? Aaron stared at the pamphlet that had been shoved underneath his door early this morning. An evening of fun and games for any pair willing to pay the entrance fee. The document said the entry fee would be charged to their room, Dave’s credit card, if they went. It would be the perfect opportunity to be seen as a reconciled couple. The event was to take place in B-Hall. “Spencer, are you ready?”

 

“Almost,” hearing his given name coming off of the tongue would take getting used to. It was to get in the habit of calling each other by their names while in public. Spencer slipped on the sandals, eyeing the brochure. Were they going to attend the affair? “Fun and games?”

 

“A contest, the winning couple gets a care package.” What was a care package? Aaron placed it on the table, was this something they should enter? It stated that there would be a buffet set up. That would take care of dinner for the evening, and they could make an appearance as an official couple at the same time. “Shall we attend?”

 

“We could,” it would allow them to mingle. Spencer stretched his arms over his head. B-Hall wasn’t that far from the stairs. This evening would be their first time out in public as a rekindled couple. He had no idea how Hotch was going to handle it. He would simply follow and respond, “I’m good.”

 

“Let’s go,” Aaron grabbed the key to his room. Spencer was already exiting the room, without him. The door was left open for him to follow and join his boyfriend in the hallway. Coming out, he caught wind of the conversation that had Spencer’s attention. The pair was also on their way to the event, “Come, Spencer.”

 

Spencer smiled softly, his gaze still on the pair. That couple again, just seeing them made him uncomfortable. A hand reached out to take his own, the fingers lacing together. Holding hands was a great start, “The red head is watching you again.”

 

“And I wouldn’t be shocked if we get invited to swap soon.” Aaron knew what kind of couple the pair were, swappers. They weren’t faithful to each other and he didn’t care for the stares. “Ignore them, we don’t have time for their games.”

 

Good, because Spencer was positive the red head would jump at the chance to get Hotch in bed. The one that had invited him to the pool party didn’t look thrilled to be attending with his partner. The fingers gave his a squeeze, the touch brought little to no comfort. He was going to have to put all of his faith in his boss to get them through the evening without blowing their cover. They had no idea what was in store for them at this Couple’s Night. 

 

Several other pairings were standing just outside of the Hall, all waiting to gain entrance for the evening. The double doors were done in bright red, a gold heart design centered between both. Tacky, overdoing it on the glitter. Aaron halted their approach a yard from the closest couple to the doorway. From the noise coming down the various halls, more were going to try to join in on the fun and games. And he noticed that it was time to play their roles. Coming their way was   
one he didn’t care for. Michael may not be their unsub, but he was a problem. The man had clearly ignored Spencer’s request to be released, the man didn’t like to take no for an answer. It was best if they made it clear that there would be no further interaction between the millionaire and his subordinate. 

 

“A…aron,” Spencer stumbled to get the name out. Their hands were still connected, yet the arm came around the rest behind his shoulders, and he was turned into hold. The blush didn’t have to be feigned, heat crept into his face. Firm lips pressed against his forehead, the kiss chaste. It wasn’t the act of kissing that had his blood pressure rising. The mouth moved along his hairline, the scruffy cheek rubbing where the lips had just departed. Hotch was nuzzling his hair and he was positive that the deep breath was due to his scent being inhaled. He had to remind himself that they were playing a role. Hotch was going to have to pretend to be the ex-boyfriend that had just been given another chance. A couple that had just reconciled would imbibe in a lot of touching and affection. It wouldn’t matter that they were in public, definitely not for the persona Hotch was emitting. Spencer was willing to bet that if he were to turn around, they were being watched, and most likely by Michael. 

 

Spencer smelt really nice. Aaron let his gaze fall onto the one watching. The eyes narrow as the slender arm came around to embrace his waist. If he wasn’t sure that it would freak Reid out, he would be tempted to go completely alpha male and grab a handful of ass to get his point across. This was enough, he finished the display by lowering his mouth, and finding the slightly parted petals just below. The kiss was meant to be sweet and chaste, and it was for all of three seconds. Feeling the mouth open, he dipped inside for a taste. 

 

Mint and chocolate, the candy that had been left in the gift basket. Spencer liked it, this kiss was much better than the last one he had received. Taste, texture, and the response it invoked. His tongue darted to find the one being skillfully denied. The gentle lick was a tease, ghosting over his bottom lip. The probing managed to draw out the thick morsel, meeting his own halfway. As he was forced to tilt his head to grant better access to his mouth, he knew any watching would have just seen their tongues, plain as the nose on his face. 

 

“Welcome!” The host shouted over the noise, throwing the double doors open. Three couples tore apart at the arrival. “First, I need all couples to line up. As you come through, you will give us names and in return you will receive a number. Don’t forget to have your room key handy to be scanned as well. Now, lets make the line orderly and no pushing.”

 

That meant he had to let go. Aaron released the hand but kept his arm around the shoulders. Spencer’s arm stayed secured around his waist as they took a place in line. The female employee that was handing out matching ribbons took their names before scanning his card. He didn’t dare ask how much this was going to cost Dave. “This is going to be interesting.”

 

Odd. Spencer took in the surroundings after their ribbons were taken from the black fingernails. There was indeed a buffet table set up at the far end, clear of anything except table clothes. No food had been placed. The hall was split into three sections, an assortment of colored curtains hiding what was behind each section. The false walls could be seen, he wanted to inquire as to what they would be doing. After waiting thirty minutes, a total of seventeen couples showed up for the event. 

 

“Evening, Gents! I am your hostess, Pepper.” A female came out of the red curtain wielding a microphone, her voice echoing over the hanging speakers. “Let’s stop the noise, I’m only five-two with the vocal cords to match, don’t make me scream.”

 

Pepper was an attractive female, short and robust. The hair was dyed a bright blue color and   
Spencer was positive he had seen her working in the longue area. There was nothing little about said voice, it boomed as she ordered a talkative male to zip it.

 

“Now, I don’t want to repeat myself. As the brochure stated, this is Couple’s Night. Where you and your lovely companions will be competing against other couples. Let me draw your attention to the three curtains behind me. As we progress through each stage we will be eliminating those who don’t have what it takes to make it to the next round. Seventeen couples to start off, only ten of you will be making it to round two. Then three will advance to stage three. Of course, we can only have one winner. The winning couple will be given our very own Care Package, which includes: A romantic dinner on deck, a four-day stay at the luxurious Primus Hotel in Sydney, tickets to the Opera House, and it includes your own person driver to take you where you and your significant other wish to go during your stay.”

 

That meant leaving the ship. Spencer hadn’t thought about that. At some point they would be expected to disembark, it was part of the cruise. That would be the time when services would be minimal while on board. It would be nice to see some of the sights while they were there. He didn’t have high hopes for winning the contest. Hotch and he weren’t really a couple. 

 

“Now, if you gents will follow me to the yellow curtain.” Pepper made it to the area first, drawing the curtain open for all to see what was inside. Which was nothing except bare floor. At the end was a line, “This one is really simple, and we will get it over with quick. Get comfortable because we are about to participate in a three-legged race. Joseph and Mandy there will be coming around and tying everyone together. There is only one rule: you must run together. If you are seen carrying your partner in any form, you will be disqualified. It is all about working with your partner. No cheating or I’ll toss your ass overboard.”

 

The pink ribbon was tied securely around their ankles, locking them together. Aaron gave the girl a nod, before she moved on. This would be a challenge. They were both around the same height, it was possible to make it to the next round. “Start with your outer leg and we’ll keep it slow and steady.” 

 

There was a lot of grumbling and swearing as each pair was made to wait at the line marking the beginning. Spencer glanced back, Joseph and Mandy were helping others bring out tables and chairs, for the losers. He kept his arm firmly around the waist, not really caring if they made it to the next round. As long as he didn’t end up on his ass or face. 

 

“Hold the line.” Pepper waited at the end with two others, “On your mark, ready, set, GO!”

 

Outer foot first, Spencer fell into the flow of stepping along with his companion, counting each step; one and two. His main goal was making it to the end without tripping. Like the couple next to them, which almost caused them to stumble. His hip was constantly moving to follow Hotch’s. Not soon enough, they made it across the finish line. A hand landed on their arm, a number was called out. “Six.”

 

“Looks like we made it to the next round,” Aaron chuckled at the sigh of relief. He could almost hear the counting coming from the genius’ brain. That had been rather easy, and he already knew that they worked well together. After the tenth place was called, the remaining seven didn’t bother trying to cross the finish line. They were ushered to the awaiting tables. “I guess we get to eat once we lose.”

 

As long as the next competition wasn’t anything physical. Spencer let himself be escorted to the front of the next curtain. This one was blue and once removed, they were all eyeing a long table with chairs. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”

 

Pepper took her place at the head to explain what the next event would be. “This one will test your knowledge of your partner. One of you, yes, you get to decide, will head into the back room where you will be temporarily deaf. Your partner will be out here, writing down answers to five questions on cards. Once done, those made to wait will come out and their knowledge will be tested. The three with the most correct answers will advance to the third and final round. If by chance there is a tie, those tying will repeat the process but will swap their places. Pick the one to stay and who goes.”

 

“I’ll go,” Spencer offered. If they had to answer any questions about each other, he was better for it. He was sure he knew more about Hotch than the man knew about him. His announcement got him escorted with the others out of the Hall. They were led into a side room with padded walls. A single employee joined them and shut the door. Deaf wasn’t really accurate, they could hear everything inside the little cubicle, but no sounds made it from the hall. 

 

Ten minutes and the door was being opened. All ten were led back to those waiting at the table. Spencer was placed sixth in line, forced to stand directly in front of Hotch. Each man had cue cards placed down in a pile in front of them. What kind of questions had they been asked? 

 

“Okay, I will be keeping score. Ann there will be going to each of you to get your answers as we see just how much you know about your partner. You only get one attempt so think wisely before you answer. Our first question is: What is his birthday?”

 

That was simple. Spencer knew exactly when it was and as long as Hotch didn’t come up with a pretend date, he knew this one. Only one other got it right before the microphone was placed in front of him to answer, “November Second.”

 

The card was flipped upright to reveal that he had gotten it correct. Three others answered correctly, before Pepper cleared her throat to ask the next question. “Question number two: Favorite color.”

 

That one was tough, but Spencer had a solid choice. He may or may not get it correct. He was basing his answer on Hotch’s attire and what he had seen in the man’s apartment. It was finally his turn to try guessing, “Blue.”

 

Aaron gave a smile at the correct answer, that was two for two. That put them at two points, but he wasn’t sure that Spencer would get the last two correct. It was something they had never discussed, and it might give away their charade. There was no turning back, he prayed no one would think much of it when the last two were answered incorrectly.

 

“Number three: Is your partner gay or bi-sexual?”

 

That was a gimme. Spencer responded without thinking about it. He couldn’t say straight, that would cause a huge problem. The answer was clearly bi because of the wife. That earned them a third point. 

 

“Number four: Does your partner prefer to spit or swallow?”

 

Dammit! Spencer was glad he was sixth in line. That was something he didn’t know BUT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT! One of the couples that had been eliminated but watching was Michael and a blonde. If they had been together before the cruise, and intimate, he should know. Gay couples gave each other head, he should know if his boyfriend liked to spit or swallow. He tried to calm his nerves, he could figure it out. All he had to do was take what he knew of Hotch and come up with the most likely conclusion. What did he know? They had never slept together, he had no idea what kind of lover he’d be. What he did know was that the man didn’t do anything half-assed, Hotch put all of his effort into everything he did, which would most likely come through when being sexual. Add in that Hotch wasn’t the type of man to be squeamish over a bit of semen. He could see the man swallowing if he were to go down on another man. And it was his turn to answer, “Swallow.”

 

That was unexpected. Aaron flipped the card up to show the answer. That would be four points for their team. Good, Reid had taken what he knew of him and had come up with the most logical reply, as he had hoped. If he were to go down on someone, he wouldn’t do a partial job by backing off just when his lover was about to orgasm. 

 

That put them in the lead, four for four. All the other teams had three points or less. Spencer took a deep breath, they may make it to the last round. If he missed the last question, they may have to participate in a tie-breaker. To make sure they made it, he just had to get the last one right. How hard could it be?

 

Pepper hushed the crowd, “Last question: Favorite sexual position?”

 

Fuck, fuck! Spencer inwardly cringed at the question. A man could have several and he had to select the one that would be Hotch’s favorite. It wasn’t as easy as selecting one of two choices. What did he know? He wouldn’t go with anything kinky, he didn’t see Hotch doing anything too kinky. Perhaps the man would occasionally indulge in doggy or awkward positions. No, Hotch was more of a romantic and simple. Spencer saw him as more of an old-fashioned kind of guy. Not that he would ever consider for a moment that bedding the man would be boring. Hotch would be a mixture of passion, tenderness and dominance. The kind of man to make love while also giving his lover what they needed and wanted. Add in the man’s slightly aggressive and domineering persona, Hotch was a topper. Spencer could see his own self being beneath the man, his arms held above his head as Hotch took care of everything. Dammit, his pants were getting tight.

 

“Okay, you’re four for four. Will you make it to five? What is your answer?”

 

Spencer almost couldn’t get it out, his throat was constricting. Why did he have to blush as he said it? “Um, I am going to go with missionary. Or do I also need to include that he would be the top?”

 

“Missionary is fine, because we have a five for five.”

 

Aaron had his card held up with just the word missionary scribbled across. They hadn’t asked for specifics or who would be on top. Blood rushed south seeing the pink cheeks at the announcement that he would be on top. That he would be, he would be the one to take top. 

 

They had to wait for others to finish. In the end only two of the remaining managed to make it to four points. That left three couples in the game. When they got to the last curtain, Pepper looked at each male before picking out one of each. Aaron was selected and drawn away with the other two males. Their host removed the curtain from the last game. Three chairs, each separated by a single curtain. 

 

“Gents, Ann here is going to be connecting three devices to each of you. One is to measure your breathing, your heartrate, and your blood pressure. In five minutes your partners will return wearing an outfit of their choosing. When the clock starts each will have exactly ten minutes to perform for your pleasure. By perform I mean a lap dance. Don’t get any hinky ideas! No sex! They have been given instructions not to remove their bottom layers. No touching and no unzipping your pants. To make sure, your wrists will be handcuffed to the chair. We will judge who gives the best performance not just by their show, but also from your reaction to it. Which will be displayed on the overhead screen for all to see.”

 

Hotch giving him a lap dance? Spencer inwardly cringed at the very idea. This wasn’t going to be very dignified. He couldn’t imagine how the former lawyer was going to pull this off. The wireless gauges were attached to his chest and finger. He was given the last seat, on the far end. Only those sitting at the far table could see the show. Having his wrist cuffed unnerved him, but he spotted the quick release that he would be able to use if need be. A hush fell over the hall and the opposite side of the curtain opened. His jaw dropped, Hotch stepped back in wearing the skimpiest shorts he’d ever seen and a shirt that was so tight, it clung like a second skin. Not shocking when the monitor beeped, and the show had yet to begin. 

 

.  
.  
.

Next Chapter: A lap dance and hot tub time! Comment for me. 

 

Sorry for any mistakes, I'm tired and about to head to bed. Work in the morning, like always. But I wanted to get this chapter posted.


	10. Chapter Ten

A/N: Tired, but am posting regardless. Just got finished editing. Please comment for me. 

 

Warnings: Some sexual content.

 

Chapter Ten

 

.  
.  
.

 

‘I can do this,’ Aaron recanted the mantra over and over in his head. Just a simple lap dance, nothing more. He had already paraded around naked in front of him, this was nothing. He just had to pretend that it was a game of sorts. They would lose, but he had to appear to be trying to get a reaction from his boyfriend. They couldn’t really expect too much from them, they were here as old lovers. Extreme excitement was for someone you hadn’t fucked yet and really wanted. Hell, he may even get Reid’s blood pressure to rise a bit from embarrassment. But he really sucked at dancing. 

 

Okay, a lap dance was simply swaying your hips and showing off your bottom. Meant to direct the patron’s eyes to one’s ass. It was meant to arouse and to stimulate the one sitting. The rules were that he wasn’t allowed to place his hands on the groin area. There would be no touching to gain a reaction. He had to do everything with his movements. Shaking his ass wasn’t one of his strong suits. What he could do was remember and mimic. The few times he had been given a personal lap dance, he would mock those. Great, if only he could make himself forget that he would be doing it to his subordinate. 

 

The shoes came off, they were too clunky for dancing. Aaron knew he was out of time, they were being led to where their partners waited. Focus, he tried not to react seeing Reid sitting in the chair as he stepped out. All he had to do was focus on what he needed to do. What he needed to do was garner an erotic response from his fake boyfriend. Before he was ready, a buzzer sounded, and music blared from the speakers. 

 

Closer, he had to get closer. Aaron took the few steps separating them, time was limited. The first few minutes were meant to tease before the dancer got close enough to let them know what could be had but would eventually be denied when the dance was over. He couldn’t do it while facing the genius, not yet. His back was given, and his brain almost hurt to replay the motions in his mind. 

 

Spencer’s mouth felt like chalk, pasty and dry. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he was given the broad back. The palms came down to land on the trim waist. His eyes couldn’t help but be drawn as the long fingers spread out to fan the dip just above the backside. The swaying motion was robotic for less than ten seconds, the hips falling into a hypnotic swing. The music itself was garbled background noise, his attention completely on the moving ass directly in his line of sight. He didn’t need for it to move to get his blood pressure rising, or for his lungs to feel constricted. Dammit, Spencer didn’t try to calm his reaction to the lifting of the shirt. It was removed within a minute of the dance. Next, the fingertips made a path down the waist to disappear beneath the hem of the shorts. What sounded like Velcro echoed in the booth. 

 

Was it working? Aaron couldn’t see the monitor from where he stood. Nor could he see or hear Rei…Spencer. Time was wasting, and he still needed to remove the shorts. The fake denim eased over his hips to fall to his feet. Not wanting to trip, he used a foot to kick them aside. Doing so left him standing in front of the doctor in nothing but a blue thong. There was no way he could turn around and watch the beautiful face. He didn’t need to, he could do this with his back turned. 

 

Aaron did turn around long enough to put himself directly in front of the bent knees and once again gave his back. For the brief second, he had chanced a glance at the face, he wasn’t sure if the man was pissed or aroused. The jaw had been clenched and the eyes wide. The knees were straddled, his legs going on either side. His hands reached back to use the arms for leverage, and he lowered his weight. 

 

“Fuck!” Spencer didn’t care if the word was overheard. The bottom was rotating and rocking just above his knees. The cuffs stopped his hands from reaching out to touch the sweet curves, or he would have been fired on the spot. He longed to reach out and run his palm over the swell. It took several minutes for the ass to make its way further back into his lap. Only an inch separated the cushion from his straining erection.

 

How much longer? Aaron recalled the rules, he wasn’t allowed to touch below the belt. The urge to turn to make sure Spencer wasn’t completely upset over the display had him quickly turning in one swift motion. He was allowed to grind, as long as he didn’t touch with his hands. With the chair arms to get in the way, he wasn’t able to get extremely close to the man. Hands gripped the back of the chair, giving him leverage. It wasn’t enough, he didn’t want to disappoint, or make it appear like he couldn’t stimulate his ‘boyfriend’.

 

Spencer was in hell. That did it, he was damned. The handsome features softened, and the curious eyes came to land on his face. Aaron was watching him intently, the gaze locking with his own. The movements still weren’t the most graceful, didn’t have to be. The heat rocked above him, barely grazing the hardness hidden beneath the pants. 

 

Someone was erect. That was shocking, and Aaron broke the eye contact to finish the remainder of the dance in the previous position. It was too demeaning to rub his own hardened member along the other one. He gave his back one last time, getting as close as he could without actually sitting on top of him. From the position of the length, Aaron knew Spencer had gone without wearing anything underneath the pants. The cock had grown at an awkward angle down the pant leg. Better this way, he wouldn’t have to grind right up against the groin to stimulate. 

 

That was dirty. Spencer didn’t dare close his eyes, he wanted to watch it, even knowing that what Aaron was about to do would make a mess of his pants. How much time did they have left? He prayed it was minutes and not seconds. The ass came down to sway and rotate just above his cock. Too soon, but not soon enough, the light brushing was stimulating the skin beneath. Seeing the thick globes in the thong conjured up forbidden images. 

 

Rocking above the doctor had Aaron’s brain conjuring up what could possibly come next. His own backside was being ogled, it made him want to have the favor returned. Catching a quick glimpse here and there at the pool wasn’t good enough. He could image what it would be like to pry the cheeks apart, to fondle the firm mounds. Would the doctor like having his ass played with? What kind of noises would the pretty mouth make if he were to massage the ass while running his tongue over the hidden entrance? Would Spencer like to have his ass eaten? He wanted to get the corded ring all soft and puffy before easing his cock deep inside the hot hole. He wanted to turn and grind into the groin, if only long enough to show the beautiful male what he would love to give him. 

 

The buzzer rang seconds after the pitiful whine escaped him. Spencer took a deep breath as the music died down and applause broke out. He had completely forgotten that they were being watched. How could he have forgotten? Had any noticed how he had begun to shake, and his features pinched in orgasm. Heat flooded his cheeks, had they lost? One of the employees came over to toss Aaron his normal clothes and uncuff him from the chair. The curtain was quickly yanked closed to give his boss a few minutes to get dressed. The thong was yanked down, and the boxers slipped into as Spencer looked away to give him a few moments to get dressed. 

 

Done, that hadn’t been so terrible. Aaron finished redressing not wanting to risk someone pulling the curtain open before he was covered. They had made it through without giving cause for concern. He glanced towards his awaiting boyfriend. Was that sweat? “Sorry, I’m not exactly a professional. Are you okay?”

 

It depends. Spencer was great if he were to be honest. He took the question as Hotch wanting to make sure that he wasn’t upset over being forced to sit through a lap dance. They both were aware of the fact that he had gotten aroused from it. Hell, he was sporting a wet spot in his pants. The load had been released without warning. Didn’t matter win or lose, he had soiled himself in the middle of a crowded room. “Fine.”

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

Four nights in a hotel, away from the ship. Spencer pushed the meat around on his plate, keeping an eye out for someone paying particular close attention to his company. For a split second he had felt true embarrassment as his mishap had been pointed out by the loud hostess. The cheering hadn’t bothered him, it was having Hotch’s eyes stray to the area once it had been announced. His vitals had skyrocketed, easily winning them the prize. Winning hadn’t been planned, it was due to Hotch’s clumsy yet sensual hips making him orgasm like a teenager. 

 

“The sea bass isn’t that bad, you should try it.” Aaron cut another piece of the fish, the meat so tender it flaked without any effort. It was seasoned just right and practically melted on the tongue. “Here, try it.”

 

Feeding him? Spencer accepted the offer, leaning forward to let the man place the fork in his mouth. Eating off another’s fork, a sign of intimacy. It was good, better than the roast beef he had opted to dine on. “You’re right, it is.”

 

“Here,” Aaron lifted another helping onto the utensil and brought it to the mouth. It was after the fourth bite that he realized what he was doing. He was feeding Spencer and it didn’t matter that his main concern had been the lack of an appetite. Leaning closer, he made a show of draping an arm around the back of the chair. If it got him to eat, so be it, and no one would think it odd for him to be doing so. “Why did you select the beef if you weren’t going to eat it?”

 

“I thought I wanted it,” It had looked good at the time. His mind hadn’t been on what he wanted to eat when selecting his dinner. Embarrassment had been riding him hard, it was still there. For Hotch to know that he had gotten that aroused without much stimulation. 

 

“Do you want to get out of here?” Going someplace with more privacy would be better. It was too early to retire to their room for the night. There were a few activities they could indulge in before heading back to their room. “Do you want to check out the V.I.P. pool?”

 

“Yes,” Spencer wanted to leave. His appetite was gone, and he felt like he was being watched. There was really no reason to remain now that the event was over. They could leave without drawing suspicion. Going into a section of the ship meant for limited passengers should grant them some privacy without forcing them to be alone. He wasn’t ready to be alone, not yet. They could take a late swim and relax. 

 

“Come,” Aaron pushed away from the table, extending his hand in invitation. Palm in palm, he escorted his boyfriend out of the grand hall. The fingers squeezed, almost painfully, alerting him that his attention was wanted desperately. Pausing mid-journey in the hallway, he waited for a clue as to why they had stopped. 

 

“Why don’t we try out the pool?” Spencer reached out with his free hand to lightly touch the shirt, a show of fawning. He had to give it to his boss, and the fact that Hotch didn’t appear to be confused at the question was testament to the many reasons he deserved to lead their unit. It had already been decided, and it was a means to explain why he had stopped his boyfriend in the hallway. Their words could be heard, and someone was listening. He hadn’t been sure at first, now he was certain. “It shouldn’t be that crowded this late in the evening.”

 

Turning directly to face each other, Aaron nodded in understanding. They were standing in the middle of the hallway, so the man would have to walk past them. The man was in his late twenties, impeccably dressed in jeans and a button-down shirt. Cropped raven hair styled to frame the face. Tall, dark, and handsome, and the man hadn’t been in the contest. He had left the hall right after them but hadn’t participated with the other couples. Nor had he been one of the crew hosting the event. To have left that room, it raised questions. He understood why the topic of their destination had been brought up. In order for him to get a good look at the unknown stranger that had appeared out of nowhere. “I was hoping to retire to our room, but if that is what you wish, then we can go. Whatever you want, Babe.”

 

God, it was probably a sin to feel this way. Spencer’s eyelids fluttered in contentment at the slight touch to his cheek. The palm cupped his face tenderly, this was not the time to be getting lost in the show of affection. The stranger didn’t make it to them, taking the first left down the hallway which led to the stairs. 

 

“Come,” Aaron had gotten a good look at the man. He was positive they both had. Tomorrow, he would search through all the passport photos and that of the crew. Remaining standing around would accomplish nothing, tomorrow would be soon enough. The plan was to hit the pool. 

 

.  
.  
.  
.  
.

 

What were the odds? If not for having arrived behind the couple already enjoying the pool, Aaron would suspect that they were being stalked. It was them that interrupted a rather heavy make out session between the pair. Seeing as the pool water was contaminated with those two, he steered the way past the small inside pool and went towards the hot tub. The entire point of coming was to relax not stress over another man being interested in his partner. “Do you wish to change into a bathing suit?”

 

A bathing suit. Spencer mentally scolded himself for not realizing what coming here meant earlier. He wasn’t wearing anything beneath the jeans. If he stripped down, he would be nude. It was adorn one of the generic ones supplied by the cruise line or hop into the hot tub nude. He wasn’t worried about any nudity being frowned upon, not here. “I’d rather not wear anything left out for the public to handle.”

 

Just as well, it would concrete their being comfortable with each other to the spectator. Standing at the edge of the heated tub, Aaron placed himself in between Spencer and the pool. There was no getting out of their undressing being witnessed. The less the engineer saw, the happier he was. “We can get in without any clothing. Go ahead and undress quickly.”

 

“Alright,” sound plan. Spencer made quick work of the shirt and then the pants. Most of his nudity was being hidden from view and he couldn’t get into the tub soon enough. He took to sitting on the lip, the water was hot. Easing in was the way to go. Doing so kept his gaze from straying towards the stripping being performed a foot away. Clothing striking the floor was like a bomb going off. Waist deep and he was being joined. 

 

“Don’t sit,” not yet. Aaron took the widest seat provided in the water. The seat was directly between two of the jets. It put him in the direction to watch the door and the other couple in the room. Sitting across from each other after the display earlier could cause suspicion. “Take my lap.” 

 

How the hell was that supposed to relax him? Spencer didn’t question the order or the why behind it. They weren’t alone. Sitting down on the lap was done as innocently as possible, facing away. Close enough to lean back against Hotch, but his ass wasn’t brushing up against any lower extremities. Adjusting the angle of his back, his head came to rest upon the broad shoulder. 

 

“Comfortable?” Whispering into the nearby ear, Aaron could feel the stiff way the back was being held away. That wouldn’t work, in minutes it would cause a back ache. Nothing was going to happen and Spencer appearing stiff and ready to bolt would raise questions. “Relax, you are stiffer than a corpse. Take a deep breath and stop worrying.”

 

Half of that was accomplished, Spencer managed the deep breath. Arms came around his middle, pulling him closer. Hot breath tickled his earlobe, causing a shiver despite the high temperature. Was it being done on purpose? The lips were dangerously close, too close to be accidental. A kiss to the sensitive area, “Aaron.”

 

Was it going too far? Initiating another kiss was awkward from this position yet worth it. The mouth responded to the pressure. He was clearly taking advantage of the situation. The kiss was enough to give credence to their relationship. What was happening under the water couldn’t be seen and wasn’t necessary for the ploy at this moment. That didn’t prevent his hands from roaming over the flat chest. Fingertips exploring the smooth chest to locate the twin peaks. 

 

Spencer had no idea hot to react to the stimulation. Kissing alone could make him aroused, having the hands touching him was better than he had could have imagined. The man was extremely gentle, taking extra care not to cause any pain while playing with the pebbled buds. Just the right amount of pulling to cause pleasure to course down his belly. The spit swapping went on for some time before he needed air. What escaped was a lusty moan that would alert anyone paying attention that one of them was being naughty. A hand stopped to trail south to torture him in other ways. 

 

Fully erect the cock fit nicely in his palm. It wasn’t as large as his own, but was above average with decent girth. The light stroking had the organ as hard as stone. Touching below the waist was going beyond what was demanded for the subterfuge. It wasn’t for show and all about giving into his own selfish desire. Aaron savored the throaty gasps striking his open mouth. Knowing that he wasn’t the only one that was affected by the slightest bit of intimacy, was arousing. Just the idea of Spencer getting hard for him, his chest swelled with many emotions. Pride, joy, relief, and extreme lust. 

 

Would it be possible to live through losing control twice in one night? Spencer wanted it to stop as much as he wanted it to continue. He hadn’t asked for it and there was no reason for it to be happening. Michael may be one of the others in the private section, yet what was being done couldn’t be seen. One might be able to tell via his expression, but their kissing and cuddling was enough for the ruse. Not only was his cock being stroked with enthusiasm, he wasn’t the only one aroused. The thickness was pressing against his spine. Need had his groin tightening and his thighs parting for the touch. His length was abandoned, and his testicles groped. 

 

The moaning was wanton and gaining in volume. Aaron ignored the need to touch himself, to relieve the tension that was building. This wasn’t for him, he wanted to experiment and discover how responsive Spencer could be. The curiosity from earlier returned, echoing in his mind. Would Spencer like to be touched? Would he be responsive to having his ass played with? The first contact was unsure, his middle finger sliding across the taint. Having the thighs open was a good sign that it wasn’t unwanted. 

 

Spencer could contain his reaction no more than he could have found the decency to remind his boss why this was unwise. He reached back to grip the man’s nape and he came undone. The mouth found the shell of his ear, then proceeded to nip at his throat. He had to look funny leaning back with his knees floating upwards and spread obscenely outwards, “Please.”

 

Please? Aaron gave into the plea to test out how far he’d be allowed to go. Just the tip of his middle finger found the puckered hole. Mapping out and discovering what it would take to breach the opening. After minutes of rubbing, and three more pleas, the digit pushed through and sank knuckle deep. It was hotter than the water surrounding them and tight. Just trying to move the first half of the finger proved how inexperienced and unused to sex his false boyfriend was. Now wasn’t the time to inquire as to how many, if any, had been there before. The moment he pushed higher and moved the right way, the waist jerked hard enough to cause the water to splash. “Shhhh…”

 

He couldn’t. Spencer closed his eyes, sure this was meant to punish him. Why else keep going for the spot? Indeed, the fingertip was aiming for his prostate. Never fully leaving, to massage and open him up. By the time a second was added, he no longer cared that the noise he made could be heard. It felt good and the only thing that could top the pleasure would be to have the man himself taking the place of the fingers. To have the large cock being the thing stretching and fucking him. Why prep him if they weren’t going to go that far? 

 

The temptation was great. Aaron knew he had to call an end to it when a hand went between them to find his cock. The back was arching with each thrust of his fingers. He’d give it another minute before the bottom lifted and he did nothing to prevent Spencer from sitting down. He wanted it, but this wasn’t the place for it. He wouldn’t take him in the hot tub while being watched. “Not here, Spencer. Let’s go to the room.”

.  
.  
.

 

Next chapter: Hmm... back in the room. 

 

Comment if you got this far.....


End file.
